At The Beginning
by MadamKabooshkwa
Summary: Being the owner of one of Japan's largest jewellery companies isn't easy. Being an artist in a family that is entirely against your profession also isn't easy. Adding all of that on top of being parents? Oof.
1. The One Night Stand

**Here I am with yet another story. I promise I'm not abandoning all my stories, i'm just lacking inspiration for some of them TT_TT I've been meaning to start uploading this for ages tbh**

**WARNING: This story does contain mature content including sex scenes and explicit language. Read at your own accord.**

* * *

The sound of the phone ringing for what felt like the hundredth time that day only served to stress poor Sakura Kinomoto even further as she scribbled her signature across pages and pages of paperwork that had piled up on her desk during the busiest time of year. Her usual short, neatly trimmed caramel hair was in a mess and she had dark bags under her usual bright emerald eyes. She had barely had a break at work, except for when her secretary and best friend forced her to go home and get some sleep. They were right in the middle of finalising a deal with a gemstone company who mined pink diamonds, and Sakura could not let the chance slip through her fingers. Frazzled, she picked up the phone and held it between her ear and shoulder.

"Yes?" she quipped.

"It's about the meeting tomorrow morning-it's been cancelled." Came the sweet voice of Tomoyo Daidouji.

Sakura frowned. She hoped that they weren't about to lose a great business deal. "What? Why? Tomoyo, that meeting is important! What-"

"It was due to a family affair. Mr Hasami's daughter passed away this morning." Tomoyo replied calmly.

Sakura stopped what she was doing as she absorbed the news. Mr Hasami's daughter had been ill with cancer for years, and it was heartbreaking that the child had been robbed of her future.

"Oh god... please organise some flowers for the funeral on behalf of Amamiya Jewels. I can't even begin to imagine what the poor man is going through." Sakura answered and started scrawling across the page again.

"Okay, I'll do that." Tomoyo answered.

"Thank you." Sakura murmured and then hung up the phone to continue her work.

But she was interrupted moments later when Tomoyo barged into her office.

"Tomoyo, I-"

Tomoyo frowned and pointed at the clock, her amethyst eyes blazing. "Have you _seen_ the time?"

Sakura looked over at the clock hanging on her wall to find it was six thirty.

"Tomoyo, I have to get these done..."

"Sakura, It's a Friday night. It can wait." Tomoyo huffed, "Besides, you _PROMISED_ me and the girls we would go out clubbing tonight! Or did you forget it was Chiharu's hen's night?"

Sakura felt a stab of guilt through her heart. It was true that she had promised Tomoyo that they would go out with Chiharu and Naoko. She looked at her desk feeling guilty.

Tomoyo sighed, "Besides, you really need it. Eriol and Yamazaki are supposed to be coming as well."

Sakura put her pen down and stood. "Alright. If I really have to, I can always do these papers early Monday."

Tomoyo smiled widely. "Fantastic! Come on-we need to eat dinner and get ready!" she said, ushering Sakura out of the office before she could change her mind.

"It's going to be great-this will be the first real fun you've had since you broke up with your ex six months ago."

Sakura felt herself smile. "I guess I've been neglecting my friends a bit, haven't I? I'm so sorry."

Tomoyo laughed and linked arms with her. "You can make it up to me by forgetting about work and enjoying your night, okay? Chiharu will certainly love you for it."

Sakura felt herself laugh, "Oh, Tomoyo."

Sakura and Tomoyo had grown up together with Chiharu and Naoko, and as a result, they were all very close. Though, the friendship Sakura and Tomoyo shared was a lot more like the bond between sisters. Tomoyo was very perceptive and Sakura often didn't need to tell her anything, because Tomoyo knew Sakura like she knew the back of her hand.

And, often Tomoyo was the one who had to make sure she was looking after herself properly. After all, Sakura tended to over dedicate herself to her work, which while in some cases it was good, it was really very unhealthy-especially since her breakup.

"Okay," Tomoyo chirped, "What should we have for dinner?"

"Are we ordering out or are we cooking?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, we are definitely cooking missy." Tomoyo laughed. "How about omelettes?"

"Sure, I haven't eaten one of those in a while."

Tomoyo snorted. "If it weren't for me cooking meals for you, you'd be ordering take out at work every bloody night."

Sakura rolled her eyes in a good-natured manner. "What would I ever do without you?"

"Work yourself into an early grave, my dear." Tomoyo retorted as she started the car. Sakura laughed.

...

Syaoran sat on the couch in his hotel room twiddling his pencil in his fingers but was unable to make a single mark on his sketch pad. Part of the reason he had come all the way to Japan from Hong Kong had been to get a change of scenery and hopefully find some new inspiration for his art-lately he'd been struggling with severe art block and all of his usual methods of trying to get through it were not working.

The other reason he had come to Japan was to attend the wedding of his one of his best friends, Takashi Yamazaki. He wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow, but his distant cousin-who was another of his closest friends-had convinced him it would do him some good to get away from everything at home and have some fun.

Frustrated, Syaoran tossed his sketch pad on the cushion next to him and placed his pencil behind his ear, then stood up to make himself a cup of hot coffee. He had no idea why his cousin had been so insistent on him arriving a day early-he hadn't even seen or heard from the man since he arrived. It was just like him, too. Syaoran shook his head as he poured his coffee.

"Hey, Syaoran!" came a familiar voice.

Syaoran turned around, wondering how on earth Eriol had managed to get into his hotel room. He frowned as the man walked into the kitchen area-Eriol was his height with pale skin and dark hair. His eyes were a sapphire colour that sparkled with mischief and sitting on his nose were a pair of round glasses. His English lineage was plain as day.

Spotting Syaoran's coffee, he raised his brow. "You're really drinking that crap?"

"Why are you here?" Syaoran countered.

"Chiharu and the girls are going clubbing tonight-they asked Yamazaki and myself to come along, so I thought I'd drag you along too." Eriol replied.

Syaoran frowned. "So that's why you had me come a day early."

His cousin grinned, "Come on-it will be fun. You need to loosen up a little, especially since you're experiencing art block."

Syaoran thought it over in his head. Eriol had a point.

"...Okay." He agreed reluctantly.

"Great-Let's go." Eriol chirped, "I still need to pick up Yamazaki."

"Just let me grab my things." Syaoran said before downing his coffee. He set the mug down on the table and then moved to pull on his shoes, grabbed his wallet and stuffed his room key in his pocket. Once he was ready, they left.

...

Sakura looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a white strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline that hugged her gentle curves and stopped midway down her thighs. Every time they went clubbing, Tomoyo always made her wear similar clothing, and she honestly wasn't sure if she would ever get used to it. She was often embarrassed about wearing such clothing, but she never protested against wearing it. She did like the way she looked in the dress, and she loved the design Tomoyo had made just for her, but she hated attracting too much attention. Which was exactly what this sort of clothing did.

"Tomoyo, the boys will be with us, right?" she said nervously.

"Yep-Eriol texted me just now to let me know he was bringing his friend along. He said that he's a close friend of Yamazaki's too." Tomoyo answered as she applied make-up to her face.

Sakura wasn't a fan of wearing make-up, so she avoided using it every day, but for some occasions, she usually wore a bit of eye liner and mascara with a little bit of lip gloss.

"Is this the guy who is a distant relation of Eriol's?"

"Yep."

Sakura couldn't help but wonder what they were like, but was snapped away from her thoughts when Tomoyo's phone went off.

"Oh, Rika's here to pick us up."

"Guess we should head down, then."

Tomoyo chucked her lipstick in her purse and grabbed her keys, "Right, let's go!"

They both headed down the stairs and out the door to find their friend standing at her black Mercedes-Rika looked up and waved, her red lips curving up into a smile.

"Hey!"

"Hey Rika-thanks for picking us up." Sakura greeted.

Rika smiled sweetly, "Not at all. I'm not likely to drink much."

"Unlike us!" Chiharu called out the window.

Sakura and Tomoyo laughed.

"I think you mean you and Tomoyo." Sakura retorted as she slipped into the back seat, while Tomoyo slipped in the other side.

"At least Tomoyo can hold her liquor." Rika giggled, making the rest of the girls laugh.

"Where's Naoko?" Sakura asked.

"She has an urgent deadline to meet, so she won't be with us tonight." Chiharu sighed.

"Oh, that's a shame." Tomoyo said.

"Yeah-there's always next time, though." Rika shrugged as she drove.

"So, Chiharu-how are your wedding nerves? Tomorrow is the big day, after all." Tomoyo smiled.

"Right now, I'm feeling fine, but I just know tomorrow I'll be so stressed." Chiharu groaned. "So, let's just ignore the wedding for tonight and have fun."

"Sounds like a plan." Sakura grinned.

As soon as the girls stepped out of the car, they could already hear the heavy base pulsing through the ground from the club. They each made their way inside, finding the men they were looking for where they had said they would meet at.

Standing with Yamazaki and Eriol was someone Sakura had never seen before. He was Eriol's height and had a muscular build, with an oval shaped face and striking amber eyes. His chestnut brown hair was messy and sitting behind his ear was a grey lead pencil.

"Hey girls!" Yamazaki greeted over the loud music.

"Hey! Who's your friend?" Tomoyo replied.

"This is Syaoran," Eriol replied.

Syaoran smiled politely, "It's nice to meet you."

His eyes landed on Sakura and their eyes met. Sakura felt something stir within her, and Syaoran was having a similar reaction to her. Tomoyo, Chiharu and Rika looked at each other with sly grins.

"I'm going to go dance," Rika called over the music. "What about you guys?"

"I'll come join you!" Tomoyo replied.

"Great!"

Eriol looked to Yamazaki, "Want to go upstairs and play pool?"

"Sure. Why don't you two hang out?" Yamazaki said to Syaoran and Sakura, who were still staring at each other.

Syaoran and Sakura both snapped away from their little trance.

"What-" they both started but were cut off.

"See you later!" Eriol and Yamazaki called back as they disappeared towards the stairs.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. He knew what they were trying to do. Sakura shifted her feet awkwardly and she smiled up at him.

"It's nice to meet you-I'm Sakura, one of Chiharu's best friends." She introduced herself. "I'm going to grab myself a drink-would you like one?"

Syaoran hesitated and for a moment, Sakura was sure he was going to decline.

"Sure." He replied.

Sakura smiled brightly up at him, catching him off guard, and then turned to head over to the bar with a little bounce in her step. Syaoran wasn't sure if it was because she was interested in him or if she was just happy that he wasn't ignoring her. He followed after her and took a seat on one of the stools next to her.

"Vodka sunrise, please." Sakura spoke to the bar attendant, who then looked to Syaoran.

"I'll have the same." He said.

They stood in awkward silence. Syaoran eyed her out the corner of his eye; she was a beautiful woman, at least in his eyes. Her bright emerald eyes sparkled with life and her smile lit up the room around her. He took in her gentle curves and pale skin and the way her dress hugged her body. Just watching her made him want to paint.

"Here are your drinks." The attendant smiled as she slid the drinks over to them.

"Thank you," Sakura pulled out some money and handed it over to the woman.

"You don't have to pay for me-" Syaoran protested but Sakura shook her head.

"Please, it's really not a problem. Besides, I want to." She answered.

When she put it that way, it was hard to say no. He nodded and she waited for the attendant to give her the change. After putting her money back in her purse, Sakura took a sip of her drink before turning back to him. She raised her brow upon noticing the pencil behind his ear.

"Um... behind your ear."

Syaoran lifted his hand and realised he had forgotten about the pencil he left behind his ear out of force of habit.

"Oh, yeah, that's pretty normal for me." He confessed.

She looked confused, "It is? How come?"

"It's so I always have something on me that I can draw with."

"Do you do some kind of design for work?" she then asked curiously.

"I'm an artist."

Sakura's face lit up. "Oh wow! That's amazing!"

Syaoran felt his face turn red. Plenty of people had said similar things to him in the past when they learned about his occupation, but he had never really paid much attention to them. Why was it different with her?

"Not really..." he blushed.

"I wonder if I've ever seen some of your art before? What type of art do you practice?" She chirped.

"A bit of everything, I guess. Most of it is realism though." He answered.

"That's amazing! Are you working on anything at the moment?"

He shook his head. "I'm currently dealing with some art block."

Sakura's face fell, "Oh dear... Hopefully it will go away. I've seen Tomoyo go through creativity block for her clothing design before. I know it varies from person to person, but I know it's frustrating, regardless."

Syaoran detected no hint of false feeling behind her words, only sincerity. It was comforting not having someone try and sort out his problems for him like they knew everything.

He smiled, "Yeah, it is frustrating. Eriol convinced me to come to Japan for a change of scenery to help with it."

"So, you're not here for the wedding?" she asked.

"I am-I wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow, though. I got here today." Syaoran replied.

Sakura smiled, "Did you meet Yamazaki and Chiharu through your work?"

"No, we met through university." Syaoran replied, "We shared a few classes with each other."

"I grew up with them," Sakura smiled, "We've all known each other since elementary school. Well-Tomoyo met Eriol through a work function."

"I know," he laughed, "He doesn't shut up about her."

Sakura burst out laughing. "If we're not careful, those two will be married before we know it."

"Tomoyo and Eriol?"

"Yeah."

He smiled, "Yeah, you're probably right."

"What about you?" Sakura asked.

Syaoran furrowed his brow, "What?"

"Don't you have any grand plans for the future?" she elaborated.

He shook his head, "No, not really. I don't have a partner." Besides, he wasn't actively seeking out someone to spend his life with, either. He figured things would fall into place as they happened.

"Well, that makes two of us." Sakura smiled.

"Hey Sakura!" Chiharu called out as she approached, looking rather drunk, "Come dance with us!"

"Oh grief, she's been doing shots again." Sakura finished off the rest of her drink and smiled at Syaoran, "I'll see you later."

He watched as she went and caught Chiharu, who was giggling her head off, and met up with Tomoyo and Rika. He then grabbed a napkin from the pile on the counter and removed his pencil from behind his ear to do a quick sketch.

Chiharu pulled Sakura to the side and immediately started to interrogate her about her conversation with Syaoran. Somehow, Sakura knew it was coming and had already prepared herself.

"We just met," she said, "There's nothing between us."

"Uhuh, sure. We saw the way the two of you were looking at each other." Rika teased.

"Aren't they sitting together tomorrow night?" Tomoyo asked Chiharu.

"If I remember correctly, yes." Chiharu answered.

"Chiharu, you're not really drunk, are you?" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"I'm a bit tipsy," Chiharu replied, "But not smashed. Yet."

"Oh, don't drink too much tonight-you'll regret it tomorrow!" Rika fussed.

"You're such a mum." Chiharu laughed, and Sakura and Tomoyo joined.

"Let's do some more shots!" Chiharu announced. "I'm getting married!"

"Yeah!" The girls all cheered and laughed before heading back over to the bar.

Syaoran jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked over to see Yamazaki wearing a huge grin.

"You seemed to be having a good time with Kinomoto."

Syaoran breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry-didn't mean to. Anyway, what do you think of her?"

"She's pretty." Syaoran shrugged.

Yamazaki raised his brow. "She's pretty? That's all?"

"What do you want me to say?" Syaoran frowned.

"Are you interested in her?" Yamazaki pushed.

"We just met."

"So?"

Syaoran shrugged. "Well...she is interesting I guess..."

"Good, because you're both sitting together tomorrow night." Yamazaki laughed, "Why don't you come and play pool with us?"

Syaoran nodded and slid his pencil back behind his ear before stuffing the napkin in his pocket. Then, he stood and followed his friend over to where Eriol was waiting.

...

They left the club at midnight. Chiharu and the girls had managed to pace themselves with their drinking throughout the night, so they weren't completely drunk when they parted ways with the men. The girls had arranged previously to stay at Tomoyo's for the night and would get ready for the wedding at her house. It was easier for them since they didn't have to coordinate too many things or figure out what time to be at someone's house.

Eriol and Yamazaki dropped Syaoran off at his hotel. He was a little tipsy-he'd had two drinks and a couple of shots, but that was about it. He didn't really fancy showing up at his friend's wedding with one hell of a hangover.

As he entered his hotel room, he flicked on the light and emptied his pockets, pulling out the napkin he'd been drawing on at the club. It was a small sketch of Sakura's face-having drawn it on a napkin and then stuffing it into his pocket, though, had smudged some parts of it. He walked over to the couch and picked up his sketch book, slipping the napkin into the back of the book. He wondered if Sakura had felt it too-if she had felt the pull between them. He wasn't sure how he felt about it just yet. Part of it excited him, while the other half of him felt afraid. He shook his head of his thoughts and moved to get changed, and then headed to bed.

...

After a stressful morning of having hair and make-up done along with getting into dresses and suits, the wedding ceremony went quite smoothly. The girls in the bridal party were all wearing pale yellow dresses made of chiffon and satin, and all held bouquets of pale pink roses, while the men in the groom's party wore black tuxedos and matching yellow ties.

Their photos took a few hours to complete. Sakura and Syaoran ended up having a few photos together, much to their amusement.

"I believe this is the first time we've been able to talk since the ceremony." Sakura said as they waited for the photographer.

"You're right." Syaoran smiled, "Though I do believe we're being put together on purpose by those two."

Sakura looked over at Chiharu and Yamazaki, both of whom looked like they were the happiest couple alive. She smiled.

"I don't really mind." She confessed, a small blush on her cheeks.

Syaoran felt his own cheeks warm as he heard her words.

"Does it bother you?" she then asked him.

"At first it sort of did, but I don't mind so much anymore." He confessed.

Sakura looked up at him with surprise, but before she could reply, the photographer called for their attention.

Between having the wedding photos taken and being pulled into conversations with other guests, they didn't get another chance to speak until the reception party where they were seated next to each other.

"They look so happy together." Sakura smiled. "I'm happy for them."

"Chiharu is one hell of a woman to be able to deal with his antics." Syaoran replied, making Sakura burst out laughing.

"I remember when I was younger, I use to fall for his lies all of the time." She said.

"He caught me a few times." Syaoran confessed, "During Uni, I mean."

Sakura laughed again. "I hate to admit it, but sometimes I still fall for them."

"Really?"

She nodded, embarrassed.

"Sakura! Smile!" Tomoyo called out to her.

Sakura and Syaoran both turned their attention to the woman who was taking photos and smiled as she took a photo. She gave them a thumbs up before moving on to her next target.

"Do you know Tomoyo well?" Sakura asked.

He shook his head. "I've heard a few things about her through Eriol, but this is the first time I have met her."

"I'm surprised Eriol didn't introduce the two of you sooner."

"We've both been really busy, and there haven't been many chances for me to come to Japan." Syaoran shrugged.

"That does make sense." Sakura agreed. "Oh, it looks like Chiharu and Yamazaki are going to dance."

Syaoran looked over at the newlywed couple as soft music began to play. Tomoyo was busy recording the couple as they danced to the gentle sway of the music, while Sakura watched them with a big smile on her face. She was truly happy for them, and she felt blessed to be able to be a part of the celebration with them and so many others.

As others began to join them, Syaoran turned back to Sakura. Their eyes met, and again they could feel that persistent tug between them.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked her.

"I'd love to." She replied as she took his hand.

He led her over to the dance floor and pulled her to him, one hand holding hers and the other hand resting on her hip. As they danced together, it felt like everything else around them seemed to slip away, leaving just the two of them, lost in each other's eyes.

Sakura found herself wondering about him-what he liked, what he loved, what he hated. Syaoran wondered much the same about her. They were snapped out of their trance, though, when someone barricaded into them; the woman apologised profusely, looking thoroughly embarrassed, and then hurried away. Sakura and Syaoran looked at each other before they both burst out laughing.

"They're about to cut the cake," Sakura said after she caught her breath, "We should go and sit back down."

"Good idea," he laughed as he gently placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her over to the table.

The room erupted with cheers when the bride and groom cut the cake. Everyone was served a slice of the vanilla and strawberry cake for dessert, and the rest of the evening was full of entertainment, dancing and laughter.

It wasn't until well after midnight that everyone was leaving to head home; Tomoyo was very drunk and Eriol had to take her home, apologising to Syaoran for leaving him on short notice. Rika had left earlier as she had some family matters to tend to in the morning, leaving Sakura with Syaoran.

Thankfully, Sakura had driven herself and Tomoyo to the venue, so she had no issues with getting home, but Syaoran on the other hand...

"I guess I should call a taxi." He said.

"I don't mind dropping you off at your hotel." Sakura offered, "It's no trouble."

Syaoran looked conflicted for a moment, unsure if he should accept her offer or not. She was being kind, and from what he had learnt about her the last few hours, she did not expect anything in return.

He smiled. "I'd really appreciate that."

"Great-which hotel?"

"The Grand." He replied.

"That's not too far away." She smiled, "Let's go."

They headed for her car and slid into their seats. Sakura removed her gold heels and threw them in the back seat, her feet aching from wearing them all night, and then turned the key.

The drive was quiet for the most part. Though, Sakura did regret not having changed her clothes back at the venue as her dress kept getting in the way.

Syaoran couldn't help but notice her constant adjustment of her skirts, making him wonder if she really needed to use the bathroom.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Sorry," she smiled, "I wish I had changed out of this dress earlier. It's very frustrating to drive around in."

"Oh." He said, "You have a spare change of clothes?"

"It was more of a precaution, in case something happened." She confessed, "I can be quite clumsy sometimes."

Syaoran laughed. "So, I've learnt."

Sakura's face turned red as she remembered how she had stepped on his toes multiple times throughout the night.

"I'm so embarrassed..." she confessed.

Syaoran laughed again. She pulled into the car park and parked her car with a small sigh.

"Here we are."

"Yes... here we are..." Syaoran murmured. "Did you want to come inside and change?"

Sakura looked up at him with surprise. "Are you sure that's okay?"

"It's fine," he smiled.

She returned his smile, "I would appreciate that."

After grabbing her bag, they headed into the hotel together and made their way up to Syaoran's room. Syaoran flicked on the light and Sakura looked around for the bathroom, spotting it across the room.

"Um... would you mind if I had a shower?" Sakura asked awkwardly.

"Go ahead." He shrugged, not particularly bothered. Maybe it was because he was tired or because of the wine, but he really didn't care.

She breathed a sigh of relief, "I won't be long."

Leaving her bag by the door without really thinking, Sakura headed straight for the shower. The only thing on her mind was removing the make up on her face and refreshing herself. It was late, after all, and her feet hurt like crazy. She stripped herself of her clothes in the bathroom and immediately turned the faucet for the hot water, adjusting it to her desired temperature, and she sighed in bliss.

While Sakura showered, Syaoran removed his jacket and tie, untucked his shirt and loosened a few buttons. He sat down on the edge of the bed to kick off his shoes and ran his fingers through his hair.

He wasn't really sure what he was doing. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he was definitely attracted to Sakura, and that she was attracted to him. He knew that if she wanted sex, he would give it to her. But he knew that she had not come into his hotel room with sex on her mind. He knew he was attractive-back in Hong Kong, he usually had girls making passes at him or trying desperately to get his attention, and he ignored every one of them.

But there was something about Sakura...

Was it because she had an air of innocence?

He had no idea. But he definitely wanted her.

Having washed herself thoroughly, Sakura shut off the water and wrapped herself in a towel before stepping out onto the bathmat. She looked at herself in the mirror, wondering if she looked okay, and smiled.

Wait.

Why was she so concerned about how she looked? She locked eyes with herself in the mirror. Sakura knew she wanted the man outside the door. She knew she was attracted to him, and while it scared her a little, it excited her even more.

She was used to having men try and seduce her. She was used to having them come after her and her fortune. There were times where she wondered if they even saw her as an attractive woman and not some money bag, but she knew they didn't care.

But she knew the way Syaoran looked at her was not the same as those other men. After all, he knew nothing about her work, and she had made it a point to keep it that way in fear he would come after her for her money.

She knew he could make her feel like a woman.

She smiled at herself and shook her head. She was being a despicable woman, thinking of that. But she knew that if he wanted her, she would give herself to him.

Turning away from the mirror, she looked for her bag on the floor, but then remembered she had left it out in the room. Her cheeks turned pink as she realised she had to walk out in nothing but her towel which barely covered her ass. She shrugged, then turned the knob and opened the door.

Her breath was knocked from her lungs when she saw him standing by the window with his shirt untucked and the first few buttons undone, revealing his collar bones and chest. He had one hand in his pocket while the other rested at his side.

Having heard the door open, Syaoran turned and his eyes landed on her. She shivered as he took in her form, his eyes taking in her appearance. Her long, shapely legs, wide hips, full round breasts that were barely covered by her towel and her round shoulders and sharp collar bones, all the way up to her face.

His name escaped her lips.

"Syaoran..."

It happened in a blur. His lips crashed to hers in a fierce passion and she kissed him back just as hard, winding her arms around his neck and threading her fingers through his dark hair as he pressed her body closer to his.

He licked her lower lip in a silent plea for entry, which she immediately granted. He enticed her tongue to dance with his, while one hand thread through the hairs at the base of her neck and his other slid down her back and over her ass.

A moan crawled up the back of her throat, and she parted to look at him breathlessly. Their lust for each other was mirrored in their eyes, and it was obvious that they both wanted each other badly. But even so, she asked anyway.

"Is this okay?"

"Yeah," he breathed, "Unless you don't want to?"

"Oh, I definitely want to." She breathed before clashing her lips against his once again.

The rest was followed by animalistic frenzy. Sakura finished unbuttoning his shirt and he shrugged out of it, letting it fall to the floor, then she started working on the buckle of his belt, fumbling it out of the loops completely as they staggered over to the bed. He tugged her towel away from her body to reveal her perfect figure, the back of her knees hitting the edge of the bed. She fell back into the sheets with him nestled between her legs; she reached between them to undo the button and zip of his pants and pushed them and his boxers down with her toes.

Syaoran gently cupped one of her breasts in one hand, squeezing and massaging the mound gently, while his lips lavished attention at her collar bone. He nipped her flesh, leaving a mark, and trailed his lips down to the valley between her breasts. Sakura moaned softly beneath his caresses, arching her back to his touch; as he continued trailing kisses down her body, Sakura wondered what his intentions were. He seemed to hesitate for a minute, but quickly gained the courage and confidence to dip his finger between her folds, finding she was already wet.

Sakura blushed, feeling a little embarrassed, but Syaoran seemed unfazed if not pleased. His finger brushed against her sensitive bundle of nerves causing her to gasp, but nothing prepared her for what happened next.

He ducked his head between her legs and drew a long, slow lick before lavishing attention on her sensitive pearl. Her breath came out in a breathy moan and she dug her fingers into the sheets. Something began to stir in her abdomen, similar to a coil winding tighter and tighter, but just before it burst, he stopped in favour of pushing his tongue inside her.

There was something pleasing about knowing he could make her feel so good. Each of her moans made his want for her to grow even greater, but he was patient. He wanted her to never forget this experience-he wanted her to remember him.

"S-Syaoran...!" she moaned heavily, her toes curling with the pleasure that racked her body.

He dipped his finger between her folds once again and rolled her clit beneath his finger while he continued his ministrations with his tongue.

It didn't take long for the pressure building in her abdomen to return. With each of his caresses, the tighter it wound, until finally it burst. She cried out his name as her muscles seized, and a rush of fluid spread between her legs.

He wiped his mouth before he leant over her body; Sakura gently cupped his face before bringing him closer to kiss him. Her other hand curled around his stiff, pulsing member and she guided him to her core. He rubbed the head of his penis up and down the entrance of her slit before he carefully pushed aside her wet, hot walls.

He groaned at the sensation and almost came then and there, but he managed to stop himself, and he carefully continued until he was fully sheathed inside her. Sakura clutched Syaoran's body as close as she possibly could, her fingers once again threading through his hair.

"I want you," she moaned breathlessly.

He smiled against her lips.

"Really?" he asked huskily.

"Yes-ah..." a moan cut off the rest of her reply as he started moving inside her.

He maintained a slow but steady pace; Sakura trailed her free hand across his upper back, feeling his bunching muscles beneath his skin. She had never felt such pleasure during sex, even with her previous boyfriends, but for some reason despite only knowing him for two days, having sex with Syaoran made her feel complete. It was strange, and she knew that if she were to tell that to Tomoyo, Tomoyo would look at her like she was crazy. But Sakura knew she would have no regrets sleeping with Syaoran.

"Faster," she breathed in his ear, and he obliged. Syaoran picked up the pace, his breathing hot and heavy in her ear. She mewled and clutched his body harder, and as soon as he adjusted his hips, he started striking something deep within her that made her cry out with ecstasy. A thin layer of sweat covered their bodies and small beads rolled down Syaoran's neck and back. Sakura bit down on his shoulder in an attempt to quieten her moans, worried that they would be disturbing the other guests. Syaoran ignored the pain-it was nothing compared to the pleasure he was feeling.

Once again, Sakura felt that familiar pressure building in her abdomen again, but this time is was more torture. The pressure was tantalising, causing her body to shudder with each breath she took, with each thrust he gave. Her breath came in gasps and ragged breaths as the coil wound tighter and tighter and tighter, until finally it burst. Her muscles clamped down on his member so hard she wanted to keep him inside forever; the sensation of her muscles seizing around him brought him toppling over the edge, and Syaoran came inside her.

After a few minutes, when he caught his breath, he rolled off her body as he didn't want to crush her and pulled the sheets up over their bodies as they lay in the sheets catching their breath.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Sakura looked over at him, wondering if he was concerned about his performance. She watched his eyes run over her upper body that still lay visible, admiring his work on her. He had a feeling he knew what he wanted to paint next-a series of works that would definitely deviate from his usual gentle touch.

She smiled up at him. "I don't think words can describe how amazing that was."

He raised his brow in amusement, but he was also very pleased to hear that response from her mouth.

"Well," He murmured, "Perhaps art can."

Sakura smiled. "Perhaps it can."

He watched as her eyelids began to droop, and she soon fell into a peaceful slumber. Syaoran remained awake for a while, busy etching her graceful form into his memory. He made a mental note to give her his contact details in the morning before he left, and soon fell asleep beside her.

...

The sound of Sakura's phone going off startled her awake in the morning, causing her to look around for the device in a frenzy. She stumbled out of the bed and over to where her bag lay by the door, frantically searching for the phone to silence it.

Thankfully it stopped ringing as soon as she found it, and a few seconds later a text came through from Tomoyo.

_-sorry for the urgency, but you need to come into work ASAP. The guy is here to talk with you about the deal.-_

Sakura looked over her shoulder to see if she had accidentally woken Syaoran and was relieved to find he was still sound asleep. Although she didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, the work matter was urgent, and she had to. So, she reluctantly pulled on the pair of jeans she had in her bag and then her bra and blouse. She rummaged around in her bag for her purse and breathed a sigh of relief when she found what she was looking for; she pulled out one of her business cards with her contact details on it and walked over to the bed, scribbling a small note on the back of it, and left the card on the pillow. She stole one last look at his sleeping face and felt the familiar tug in her lower abdomen.

Her phone buzzed again. In a panic, she hurried over to her bag and picked it up before rushing out the door.

...

When Syaoran woke, the first thing he noticed was the absence of Sakura's body. He rolled over to find she was no longer there and sat up to investigate his surroundings. But there was still no sign of her. He sighed heavily with disappointment, but then something caught his eye. He looked over to find a card with a note on it from her. It was short but got the message across.

_-see you again soon? Xx-_

He turned the card over to find her contact details for her work, discovering that she was the president of one of the largest jewellery companies in Japan.

He spotted another thing she had left behind-her dress-and briefly wondered how she could have forgotten something so obvious. He shrugged, stood, and headed to shower.

After he was dressed and had everything packed, He waited for Eriol to pick him up to head to the airport. As he left japan, he looked at Sakura's card once again before tucking it safely in his pocket. He had every intention of seeing her again.

* * *

**And that's the first chapter and entirely intentional to kick start the story and is not pointless smut (for once) lmao**

**I felt like swapping their roles-i often see that Syaoran is the owner of a business or company and sakura is a secretary hahaha. Let me know what you think :) No flames please**


	2. And Now We're Back At The Start

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for your reviews, follows and favourites! I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous, but i'll try and keep a consistent length as much as possible.**

**I suppose chapter one was more of a prologue type chapter, since this is where the story properly begins. I hope you'll all enjoy it.**

* * *

_**~FOUR YEARS LATER~**_

Frustrated and annoyed, Sakura slammed the phone down on her desk. She didn't understand what was so difficult about understanding the word "no". She didn't want to sell her company, especially when her family had built it up from scratch. She was going to keep it, and there was no way in hell she would be selling the company only for it to be completely ruined by some moron who thought they could do it better. The phone rang, agitating her further, and she picked it up.

"What?" she snapped.

"I'm guessing they've been bothering you again?" came Tomoyo's amused voice.

Sakura sighed heavily. "Sorry, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo laughed, "Don't worry about it. I just picked up Hazuki-she's a bit upset you didn't come to pick her up today."

"Okay-I... I'll leave work now so we can get ready. I'll pick something up for Hazuki."

"Good idea," Tomoyo laughed, "I'll meet you at your house. Stay safe."

"Thank you, Tomoyo."

The call ended. Sakura ran her fingers through her hair, feeling more stressed out than usual. It was the time of the year that was the most stressful-Christmas was coming up, and every year they had a special line of jewellery available for the event. But recently, there had been complications with the production and on top of that she had people constantly harassing her looking to buy her company. She felt so horrible for not being home as much as she should, especially for little Hazuki.

With a sigh, Sakura stood and grabbed her things to leave the office. She had to leave early anyway, as the following day was Tomoyo's wedding and she and the girls were getting together for the evening to have dinner, and like Chiharu's wedding, they would be staying at Tomoyo's for the night.

As she stood waiting in the elevator, Sakura wondered what she should pick up for her daughter. She remembered that the hours for the specialty chocolate store had been extended and remembered how much Hazuki would beg her for something from the store; while she did have the money, she didn't want to spoil her daughter too much, so she restricted herself from buying everything the child wanted. But it was a special occasion, so she decided it was fine.

The elevator door opened, and Sakura hurried out of the building and over to her car. It was snowing and she was freezing cold, cursing having forgotten her coat in the office. She slid in the car and turned on the heater to warm her hands and body, relaxing for a moment before making a move. She was glad she was leaving early since the traffic would be slow due to the snow.

She rushed into the chocolate shop and picked up Hazuki her favourite chocolates, then rushed back out to head straight home. As soon as she stepped through the door, a small child came running out and crash hugged her legs.

"Mummy!"

Sakura looked down to see her daughter beaming up at her, her round amber eyes bright with life and love. Her long caramel hair was halfway through being curled.

"Hi honey!" Sakura smiled as she knelt down and hugged her.

Hazuki scrunched up her face. "Ewww, you're wet!"

Tomoyo walked out laughing. "Did you really rush home without your coat?"

Sakura blushed. "Yes..."

"Go have a hot bath while I finish Hazuki's hair." Tomoyo smiled.

Sakura nodded, "That sounds good."

"Mummy! Today we made Christmas presents for our parents!" Hazuki chirped excitedly.

"Ooh, really?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, but I'm not telling you." She replied haughtily.

Sakura laughed, "Okay, I'll look forward to it."

"Alright Hazuki, we better let your mum go and have this bath. We both know she's terrible at getting ready on time." Tomoyo said, poking her tongue out at Sakura playfully.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay." She said as she stood.

"Good."

Sakura remembered the bag in her hand. "Oh! Hazuki, I bought this on the way home for you." She held out the little bag to her daughter, who took it from her with a look of curiosity.

Her eyes widened when she pulled out a familiar box full of chocolates.

"I'm going to keep them in the cupboard, okay? Would you like one now?" Sakura asked.

Hazuki shook her head, "I want to wait and have one with you later."

Sakura smiled and kissed Hazuki on the forehead.

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"Now, off you go!" Tomoyo shooed Sakura up the stairs and then returned to curling Hazuki's hair while they waited.

...

Syaoran looked at the card he had kept for four long years; for the umpteenth time, he wondered if he should call her, but again came to the same conclusion that she probably would not want to see him and probably had someone she was already seeing anyway. After all, it had been four years since that night. And it wasn't like he hadn't tried to forget about her-he had dated a couple of women, but he just wasn't interested in them and they all ended rather quickly before it could even get serious.

And here he was, back in Japan, but this time it was permanent.

"Hey-are you listening?" Eriol's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Eriol spotted the card he was holding and quickly snatched it away. Seeing it was Sakura's business card, he frowned.

"How long have you had this?"

Syaoran shrugged. "Four years."

Eriol's eyes widened. "Four-!? You must be seriously attracted to Sakura, bloody hell."

Syaoran snatched the card back.

"Why haven't you called her? Or should I say, _why_ won't you call her?"

Syaoran sighed and leant back against the bench of his brand-new house. He had moved in a few weeks ago, so he still needed to unpack everything, but otherwise he was settling in nicely.

"She's probably busy-she is the president of a huge company after all, not to mention it's been four bloody years. She's probably not interested." Syaoran replied.

Eriol groaned. "You are possibly the densest person I know..."

Syaoran furrowed his brow. "What?"

Eriol shook his head. "Never mind. I honestly don't think you should worry too much. Just give her a call."

Syaoran looked down at the card again, still feeling unsure.

"Bloody hell." Eriol muttered. "We should get going-Yamazaki will be waiting for us."

Syaoran nodded.

They were going to a bar for Eriol's bachelor party. Syaoran predicted that it was going to be hectic, especially since Eriol and Yamazaki were going to be together. Somehow, he had a feeling a drinking contest would somehow occur, and he would not be participating.

"You know," Eriol added as they walked out the door, "I was wondering why I recognised the woman in your paintings. It's Sakura, isn't it?"

"Shut up." Syaoran muttered, making Eriol laugh boisterously.

...

"I'm ready!" Sakura announced as she stepped into the lounge room. She was dressed in jeans and her favourite woollen pink sweater, with some of her hair braided and tied with a white ribbon at the back of her head. Hazuki, who was dressed in a heavy woollen creme coloured dress with matching tights and boots, turned around and smiled with delight.

"Mummy, look at what Auntie 'Moyo made for me!"

Sakura knelt down to her level, "You look beautiful, honey. Do you like it?"

"Yes!" Hazuki chirped, "And she made a bow for my hair to match!"

The child turned to show off the white bow that was clipped in her hair, holding together two braids.

Sakura looked up at Tomoyo, "Thank you, Tomoyo."

"It was my pleasure. I'm just so happy she likes it."

"Yes, me too." Sakura agreed.

"Can we go yet?" Hazuki asked, "Please?"

Sakura smiled, "Yep. We're all ready, aren't we?"

"Yay!" Hazuki cheered.

Tomoyo laughed. "Someone is excited."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "She's been talking about your wedding non-stop."

"Is uncle Eriol going to be there tonight?" Hazuki suddenly asked.

"Sorry sweetie, it's just us girls." Tomoyo apologised.

"Okay!" Hazuki responded cheerfully, making the two women laugh.

After loading everything into Sakura's car, the three girls then headed over to Tomoyo's house to start working on making dinner for when the other ladies arrived. While Tomoyo and Sakura cooked, Hazuki spent her time sitting at the table with her favourite coloured pencils and markers, drawing to her hearts content.

Tomoyo watched the child with fascination-she was always amazed by Hazuki's ability to draw for her age. Most children barely knew how to put a picture together, but It seemed to come naturally to Hazuki. She looked over at Sakura who was humming cheerfully as she cut up the vegetables. Sakura had never mentioned Hazuki's father. Every time she had tried to bring it up, Sakura had dismissed it entirely, except for one occasion when she had asked Sakura if she had been raped. She had asked out of pure worry-but Sakura had assured her that was not the case, much to her relief.

"I can't believe her birthday is so close," Tomoyo sighed, "She's turning four!"

Sakura felt herself smile, "She is."

"What should I get her this year...?" Tomoyo murmured aloud.

"Don't spoil her too much, please." Sakura laughed.

"Aw, come on Sakura!" Tomoyo complained, making Sakura laugh harder.

"Oh-that reminds me! I need to get a new folder for Hazuki's art." Sakura remembered.

"She's on her way to becoming a famous artist one day." Tomoyo sighed blissfully.

Sakura smiled, her mind flicking to Hazuki's father. Tomoyo didn't fail to miss the tender smile on her best friend's face, one she didn't seem to wear unless thinking about a specific person.

The doorbell rang, snapping the two women from their thoughts, and Tomoyo hurried off to answer the door. She returned to the kitchen moments later with Rika, Chiharu and Naoko in toe.

"Hey Sakura!" Chiharu chirped as she entered.

Sakura looked over and smiled, "Hey girls,"

"Hazuki!" Rika hugged the little girl, "What are you drawing today? Oh! Is this a landscape?"

Hazuki scrunched up her face. "What's a lan-scape?"

"Land-scape." Rika said, "It's when you draw the land in front of you. Like the mountains in your drawing and the trees."

"Oh! I guess?" Hazuki shrugged, still not completely understanding what the word meant. Rika laughed.

"I bought the ingredients to make a strawberry pie!" Chiharu announced.

Naoko held up a DVD, "I bought this to watch later after dinner."

"Hold it," Sakura said, "Is that appropriate for Hazuki?"

"Oh, this one isn't, but this one should be!" Naoko pulled another movie from her bag that was a children's movie.

Sakura relaxed and smiled. "Thanks Naoko."

"Who can resist this little cutie?" Chiharu asked as she hugged Hazuki.

Everyone laughed.

"What time do we have to be up tomorrow?" Naoko asked Tomoyo as she sat down at the table with Hazuki.

"The ceremony is in the afternoon," Tomoyo answered, "I'd say we'd need to be up for nine, though."

"Sounds easy."

"Yeah, easy for everyone except Sakura." Chiharu joked.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I'm not that bad."

"Says she who needs three alarm clocks AND her daughter." Rika retorted, making everyone laugh again.

The girls all chatted away as they cooked, and while they waited for their meal to be ready, they moved to the lounge room where they could be more comfortable. While everyone chatted, Sakura couldn't help but remember what happened the night of Chiharu's wedding. After all, here she was, about to watch her best friend get married.

She remembered the passion and attraction between herself and Syaoran that night. She never regretted sleeping with him, and she still didn't. If there was one thing she regretted, it was that she never got into contact with him. She could have easily asked Eriol or Yamazaki for his number or contact details, but she didn't.

"Mama, is you okay?" Hazuki mumbled as she tugged on her arm.

Sakura looked over and smiled, "It's 'are you okay,' honey." She corrected her daughter, "I'm alright-you don't need to worry about me."

She lifted Hazuki up and into her arms, placing a tender kiss atop her head. Hazuki didn't seem to believe her, but Tomoyo distracted her quickly.

"I'll go and check on dinner," Sakura said as she stood.

"I'll come with you-I want to grab a drink." Chiharu hopped to her feet and followed Sakura into the kitchen.

While Sakura checked on their meal, Chiharu grabbed herself a vodka sunrise.

"Is something on your mind, Hun?" Chiharu asked softly.

Sakura smiled. "No one seems to believe me when I say I'm fine."

"Because you suck at lying," Chiharu retorted as she took a sip of her drink.

"Can you please drop it? I just... I'm not ready to talk about it." Sakura pleaded, "It's Tomoyo's wedding tomorrow. Let's just have a good time."

Chiharu hugged Sakura, "We're here for you."

"I know." Sakura smiled, "I think dinner is ready, so I'm going to start dishing it up."

"Sure, I'll let the others know." Chiharu left Sakura in peace to dish out dinner, while she did as she had said she would and alerted the girls that dinner was ready.

...

The next morning was hectic, but they all knew that the morning of a wedding was usually crazy. Chiharu and Rika were busy styling Tomoyo's hair and applying make up to her face, while Naoko had rushed out of the house moments ago to pick up something for their lunch. Meanwhile, Sakura was busy doing Hazuki's hair, choosing to do a waterfall braid with some little white cherry blossoms decorating it. Hazuki was Tomoyo's flower girl, so the little child was really excited.

"Hazuki, hun, why don't you watch something while the rest of us are getting ready? I'll call you over when it's time to get you into your dress." Sakura suggested once she finished styling her hair.

"Can I draw?" Hazuki asked instead.

Sakura smiled. "Of course. Whatever you'd like to do."

Hazuki slid off her chair and ran over to the table to busy herself with her art.

"Sakura, want me to do your hair?" Rika offered.

"Oh, Tomoyo's finished?" Sakura asked as she sat down in the chair.

"I finished her make-up, yes." Rika answered. "Where are the flowers for your hair...?"

"They're on the box on the counter." Sakura responded.

Rika found the flowers and then started working on Sakura's hair; it was fairly simple, really. Her hair was pulled back into a bun with a braid wound around the base of it, and woven through the braid were some pink cherry blossoms. The other girls sported the same hairstyle as they were Tomoyo's bridesmaids, and they all wore light makeup.

"How are you feeling Tomoyo?" Sakura asked.

Tomoyo shrugged, "I'm not terribly sure. I can't tell if I'm nervous or if I'm just not feeling anything."

"I remember I felt so nervous at my wedding." Chiharu sighed.

"I come bearing lunch!" Naoko announced as she walked into the room.

"Fantastic," Tomoyo beamed, "I'll finish Chiharu's hair and then we'll come and join you."

Naoko nodded, "Sounds good. Hazuki, come and get some lunch!"

Hazuki looked up and put down her pencils in favour of getting something to eat, running over to Naoko's side.

Lunch went quickly, as did getting into their dresses. Tomoyo had designed everything herself, including her wedding dress. Sakura and the girls were dressed in lilac cocktail dresses, while Hazuki was dressed in a pastel pink dress decorated with many frills and lots of white lace.

And as they were waiting to walk down the aisle, Hazuki couldn't stop bouncing from excitement, making Sakura and Tomoyo laugh. The cue for the girls to make their way down the aisle ahead of Tomoyo sounded; as Sakura made her way out, she spotted someone up beside Eriol she had not been expecting.

Her heart skipped a beat and the blood drained from her face as her eyes met with amber. They both held eye contact for what felt like an eternity, neither of them sure how to react.

...

Syaoran's eyes landed on Sakura as she walked down the aisle, freezing him on the spot. It had been so long since they had last seen each other, and yet she still looked as beautiful as the night they had first met at the club. Their eyes locked. She had hardly changed. Part of him felt like slapping himself for it not occurring to him that Sakura was Tomoyo's best friend and would definitely be part of her bridle party. He wasn't sure what to feel-should he be happy? Sad? Scared?

He didn't know.

Thankfully, the rest of the bridal party served as a good distraction-Syaoran's eyes landed on a little girl and he felt a jolt go through him. He tried to search through his memory for any mention of the child from Eriol but could not recall anything. But asides from that, the child seemed familiar somehow. The colour of her hair, the shape of her face and nose and the colour of her eyes.

The little girl stood beside Sakura, and then the music cued for Tomoyo's entry. Everyone turned their heads, watching as she gracefully made her way to Eriol's side.

The ceremony began. Every now and again, Sakura and Syaoran would steal glances at each other. And when the ceremony ended, they were both relieved. However, with all of the wedding photos happening, neither of them got a chance to talk to each other.

Sakura stood with Tomoyo as they waited for the photographer to organise the next photograph.

"Why didn't you tell me Syaoran was coming?!" she whispered to Tomoyo, who gave her a confused look.

"I didn't think it mattered... neither of you have been in contact since Chiharu's wedding." Tomoyo answered. Then, she frowned, "Sakura, what's going on?"

"When the photos are done, I'll talk to you about it." Sakura murmured.

Tomoyo looked a bit confused, but nodded.

"Sakura, come over here!" Chiharu called out.

"Coming!" Sakura called back.

Tomoyo looked over to Hazuki, who was giving Eriol a high five, and then she looked to Syaoran who was watching the scene with amusement. Then, she looked to Sakura, and something in her mind immediately clicked. Eriol walked over to her, having noticed the look of concern on her face.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

"It's nothing-well, not quite. But it can wait. Today is OUR day." Tomoyo smiled.

He smiled, "Alright. We can discuss it later. As long as you're not regretting marrying me, of course." He joked.

"Why, you must have read my mind." Tomoyo sighed dramatically, "I'm sorry, but we must divorce."

Eriol laughed.

"Alright, group photo!" the photographer announced.

Everyone gathered together for the final photograph, it took a while to get everything looking correct, but when the photo was finally taken and they were allowed to leave, Tomoyo pulled Sakura aside.

"Now, explain to me what's going on."

"Mummyyyy!" Hazuki tan over to Sakura and hugged her legs.

Sakura knelt down and smiled, "Hi sweetie! You did such a good job in there. I'm so proud of you!"

Hazuki grinned proudly. Chiharu made her way over and smiled.

"Looks like there's something you two want to discuss. How about I take Hazuki ahead?"

Sakura nodded, "I would appreciate that, thank you."

"Mummy, are you not coming?" Hazuki mumbled.

"I'm still coming, but I'll meet you there. Chiharu and the girls will look after you until then, okay?" Sakura smiled.

Hazuki looked unsure, but suddenly she grinned. "Okay!"

Chiharu took Hazuki's hand and led her away, leaving Sakura and Tomoyo together.

"Syaoran is Hazuki's father, isn't he?" Tomoyo murmured.

Sakura wasn't surprised she had already figured it out. Tomoyo was sharp and nearly nothing got past her-if anything, she was surprised it had taken this long for her friend to figure it all out. She nodded.

"I thought you had slept together that night." Tomoyo smiled a little sadly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I guess I was scared." Sakura confessed.

"Scared of what?" Tomoyo pressed.

"I don't know... I'm sorry I never told you. Please don't take it personally. I'm just... I'm feeling really confused at the moment. I just want to celebrate with you guys tonight, okay?" Sakura pleaded.

Tomoyo hugged her friend, "I'm so sorry you've been going through this alone. I understand-we'll have lots of fun tonight."

Sakura smiled, "Thanks Tomoyo."

Upon arrival at the venue of the reception, Sakura found the table she was to be seated at and found that she was going to be sitting next to Syaoran. He smiled at her as she sat down.

"It's been a while." He said.

Sakura nodded, "It has," she smiled, "How is your art going?"

"It's really picked up in the last few years." He replied.

Sakura's face lit up. "That's amazing! I'm so happy for you! I uh... I've actually been following your art since we first met." She admitted, her cheeks turning pink.

Syaoran felt himself blush too. "Thank you."

"So... how long will you be in Japan for?" Sakura asked. "I was thinking that maybe we could go and get lunch together one day..."

Syaoran looked at her with surprise, but then he smiled. "I actually just moved here." He said, "Lunch sounds like a nice idea."

"Great!" Sakura smiled, "Um, if you'd like, I can cook?"

"Sure." Syaoran smiled.

It almost felt as though no time had passed since the night they had spent together, but at the same time, they had so many questions they wanted to ask each other. Sakura wondered if she was being too presumptuous that he might still be interested in her, and Syaoran had similar thoughts vice versa. However, they were at a friend's wedding, and understood that now was not the time to ask questions.

"MUUUUMMMYYYYY!"

Sakura jumped with surprise and looked around quickly, spotting Hazuki running straight towards her.

"Sweetie be careful-!" Sakura tried to warn her, but Hazuki fell flat on her face having tripped over her own two feet.

Syaoran raised his brow. Sakura stood from her seat and hurried over to Hazuki's side, lifting her back onto her feet.

"You're okay. Just a little fall." Sakura smiled at Hazuki, who was sniffling.

She felt sure that Hazuki was going to burst into tears, but then the child smiled widely.

"I'm okay!" she repeated, though still sniffling and trying not to cry.

Sakura smiled and picked her up, "There's someone I want you to meet."

That was enough to distract the toddler from her fall, her bright amber eyes lighting up with excitement and curiosity. Sakura walked over to where Syaoran was sitting, watching her with curiosity and surprise.

"Hazuki, this is Syaoran. He's sitting with us tonight."

Hazuki looked up at Syaoran. She was very quiet, which Sakura had expected. Hazuki had always been very shy with strangers. However, Hazuki didn't shy away like Sakura had expected.

"Mummy, he has the same eyes as me!" she chirped excitedly.

Sakura didn't miss the look of shock that briefly appeared on Syaoran's face, but he hid it with a smile.

"It's very nice to meet you." He greeted Hazuki.

"My name is Hazuki!" she chirped.

Syaoran and Sakura made eye contact, but again, they knew it was not the time or place to ask questions.

"Hazuki, Syaoran is going to come over for lunch sometime." Sakura said.

"Ooh! When?" Hazuki asked, "Tomorrow? Please? Can he?"

Syaoran felt himself laugh as Sakura looked a bit embarrassed.

"I'm not doing anything, so it depends on what Sakura says." Syaoran told the child.

Sakura felt herself relax. "That sounds perfect."

The sooner she could talk to him, the better, she decided.

"Yippee!" Hazuki shouted.

"Come on, dinner will be out any moment now, so sit in your chair." Sakura said as she lifted Hazuki onto the chair beside her.

"Did you get married?" he suddenly asked, and then cursed himself for even asking. Why couldn't he control himself?

Sakura looked surprised for a minute, but she shook her head. "No. I'm not seeing anyone."

Syaoran suddenly felt relieved.

"What about you?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not seeing anyone either."

It was Sakura's turn to feel relieved. Sakura had tried dating a few times after Hazuki was born, but she found that as usual, they were either only interested in her for her money, or once they found out she had a daughter, they didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She often felt rather depressed about it, finding herself wondering if her worth was based on how pretty she looked, the amount of money she had or if she had no children.

The main reason she decided she was no longer interested in dating, however, was because she couldn't forget about Syaoran. She had never lost hope that maybe, just maybe he would call her...

But he never did.

And now here they were, sitting next to each other at their friends' wedding. It was rather ironic, really. Dinner arrived and they were distracted by talk with the other guests sitting at the table, most being friends or part of the bridal party-or both.

Time seemed to pass quickly, or so it felt. Tomoyo made her way over to the table after having danced with Eriol for a while, and hugged Hazuki.

"Hazuki, will you dance with me?" Tomoyo asked.

"Okay!" Hazuki chirped happily as she took Tomoyo's hand.

"Have fun you two!" Sakura called out.

Syaoran smiled, "Would you like to dance?" he asked Sakura.

Sakura looked over at him and smiled. "I'd love to."

He pulled her to her feet and led her over to the dance floor, pulling her in by the waist. They both held eye contact as they danced, lost in a trance. In his arms, Sakura felt complete, just like she had back at Chiharu's wedding. The rational side of her told her that it was just sexual attraction, but another part of her felt there was something more.

They had been parted for four years, so she couldn't be in love, right? She still hardly knew him.

But...

Just maybe...

Syaoran unconsciously squeezed her hand when he noticed her troubled expression and she smiled.

"You've gotten better." He commented, remembering how she would occasionally step on his feet the last time they had danced together.

"I did dance lessons with Tomoyo," she confessed, "It was good fun."

"You took lessons?"

She nodded. "Tomoyo insisted I needed to get out at least one night a week. This was back when Hazuki was only a few months old and I was having a rough time with work."

"You've been raising her on your own?" he asked with surprise as he span her around.

Sakura nodded, "My brother and father have helped me with some things, but..."

Her expression suddenly became distant and sad, making him wonder if something had happened between her and her family.

He reminded himself it wasn't his business and decided to switch topic. "I have an exhibit coming up soon."

Sakura's ears perked. "Oh?"

"If you'd like, I can give you and your daughter an invitation." He offered.

"We would love that." Sakura smiled, "Hazuki loves art-she makes a spectacular mess at home."

Syaoran laughed. "Like a true artist."

Their dance came to an end and Hazuki came running up to them, hugging Sakura's legs.

"Mummy, when's cake?" she asked.

"Soon, honey." Sakura smiled as she lifted her daughter up into her arms.

"Can we dance?" the child mumbled.

Sakura kissed her cheek, "Of course."

Syaoran moved to sit down, watching the pair with a soft gaze.

...

As the night came to an end, Hazuki was already asleep in Sakura's arms as she carried her out to the car. She buckled Hazuki in with her blanket over her to keep her warm, and then closed the door gently before turning to Syaoran.

Their eyes met and they held each other's gaze for a long moment. Sakura found herself speechless, lost in his amber pools.

"What time should I come over tomorrow?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Sakura snapped out of her trance. "Oh-uh... Is twelve okay?"

"That sounds fine." He smiled.

Sakura nodded and turned, "ok, I'll see you then."

"Wait," he stopped her with amusement, "I don't have your address."

Sakura felt like mentally slapping herself. Her cheeks turned red, "Oh goodness. I'm so sorry-how about I text it to you?"

"Sure."

She pulled her phone out of her handbag and went to add a new contact, then handed it to him.

"Can you put in your number?"

He took her phone and quickly typed in his number, "Here."

Sakura saved it, and then proceeded to text Syaoran's phone her address. He pulled out his phone as it buzzed and held it up.

"Got it." He smiled.

Sakura smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Drive safely." He replied.

Sakura stopped for a minute. "Wait-how are you getting home?"

"I have a car." He replied with a small laugh.

Sakura looked relieved, "Alright... Goodnight, Syaoran."

He watched as she climbed into her car and started the engine; she backed out of her parking space and then left, heading home. With a small sigh, Syaoran turned and headed towards his own car to return to his own home.

* * *

**Let me know your thoughts ^_^ see you soon! **


	3. Questions, Questions, Questions

**Hey everyone! Thank you for the comments, follows and favourites! It was interesting seeing what you guys thought about the first two chapters haha. Hopefully some of your questions will be addressed in this chapter and future chapters.**

* * *

Syaoran looked up at the house he stood in front of; for a woman who was the president of a huge company, she had a very modest looking home. The garden was burgeoning bright and colourful blossoms and the lawn was luscious green. He made his way up the stone path to the wooden front door and pressed the doorbell, waiting. He heard the sound of something clashing to the floor and the thudding of footsteps. The door opened to reveal a frazzled looking Sakura whose apron was covered in paint, and looking down, he spotted why.

Hazuki was absolutely covered in paint from head to toe. It was in her hair, all over her face and clothes, and it coated her hands. The toddler looked up at him, seeming proud of herself-for what, he wasn't sure. She grinned.

"She heard the doorbell and decided to race me to the door," Sakura said, "As you can see, she's uh... been playing with paint."

"May I see what you're working on?" Syaoran asked Hazuki.

Sakura smiled, "Let Syaoran inside, sweetie."

Hazuki moved to the side to let Syaoran step through the door.

"This way!" Hazuki said as she grabbed Syaoran's hand and pulled him through to the kitchen area.

"Hazuki, your hands-!"

"It's okay, I don't mind." Syaoran responded.

Sakura relaxed. She guessed that he must be used to being covered in paint, being an artist himself. She followed them back into the kitchen where Hazuki was sitting on her mat; Sakura had bought it specifically so that Hazuki could make as much of a mess as she wanted, and it would be easy to clean up. It was big and covered a large area of the floor, so Sakura wasn't worried about paint getting on the tiles. On the mat was a large piece of paper which Hazuki was busy painting on.

It was splashed with an array of blues and greens, with some white and yellow amongst it. Sakura had no idea what she was trying to do, or if she was simply having fun with the colours without a care for how it looked.

"What are you painting?" Syaoran asked Hazuki as she sat down and stuck her hands in the paint on the trays, and then proceeded to smear it all over the paper.

"Hmm...dunno." She shrugged.

Syaoran laughed. "It looks great, Hazuki."

Hazuki's face lit up. "Really?"

Sakura, who was busy organising lunch, smiled. "Honey, did you know that Syaoran is an artist too?"

Hazuki looked at Syaoran with awe. "Wow!"

Syaoran felt his cheeks warm.

"Hazuki, it's time for lunch so you need to wash your hands." Sakura said.

Hazuki stood and walked around to Sakura, who pulled a stool over for her to step on. Hazuki climbed up with help from Sakura and proceeded to wash her little hands of the paint they were covered with.

"I hope you don't mind," Sakura started, "Hazuki insisted I make pancakes for lunch."

"That sounds nice. I haven't had pancakes in quite a while." Syaoran replied.

"Mummy makes the best pancakes!" Hazuki chirped.

Sakura giggled, "You're so sweet."

"It's true!" Hazuki insisted.

"I'm sure it is." Syaoran smiled.

"Oh, where are my manners? Please, have a seat at the table. Would you like something to drink? It is rather cold... I can make some coffee?" Sakura offered.

"That would be nice, thank you." He answered as he took a seat.

Sakura nodded, "Hazuki, go and sit at the table with Syaoran."

With her hands clean, Hazuki waddled over to the table and lifted herself up onto her chair. Syaoran smiled in amusement when he spotted the paint in her hair.

"How long has Hazuki been into art?" he asked.

"Since she could get her hands on pencils." Sakura laughed. "Do you always have a pencil behind your ear?"

Syaoran blinked, surprised, and lifted his hand to find he had left his pencil there again.

"It's a force of habit. So... most of the time, yes." He laughed.

"I remember when we first met, you had a pencil behind your ear then, too." Sakura smiled.

"I did, didn't I?"

"How did you and mama meet?" Hazuki mumbled, a bit annoyed she'd been left out.

"The night before Chiharu got married, we all went out-Eriol invited me to come along. That's how I met your mother." Syaoran explained.

The doorbell rang, interrupting their conversation.

"I'll get it," Sakura smiled and walked out of the kitchen.

She opened the door to find Tomoyo looking quite apologetic. In her hands was a thick folder with a post-it note stuck to the front. Sakura's eyes widened with surprise.

"Tomoyo-what's up? I would have thought that you'd be relaxing with Eriol…"

Tomoyo laughed a little, "We've had our time to relax. Eriol got called into the lab, anyway. I got an urgent call this morning-do you remember the movie producer from Scotland? She sent back some feedback on the samples we sent her. She's also asked if we can have it reviewed by Tuesday."

Sakura's stomach dropped. "Seriously? That's hardly any time at all! She does know I have a life too, doesn't she? Shit… I'm going to need to talk with Akiho to see if we can sort something out…"

"I am so sorry, Sakura." Tomoyo apologised.

Sakura shook her head, "It's not your fault this woman is being unreasonable," she said as she took the folder from Tomoyo, "I'll try and have a good look over this tonight."

"I had a look through it myself and made a bunch of notes that I thought might be helpful for you." Tomoyo added, "I'll leave you in peace-I need to do a few things at home."

"Thanks, Tomoyo. I really appreciate your help." Sakura smiled at her friend and gave her a quick hug.

"Muuuuuum I'm hungry!"

They parted and Sakura smiled. "See you at work."

Tomoyo nodded, "Bye Sakura-text if you need anything."

Sakura smiled in response, grateful that she had such a wonderful friend to support her. She watched as Tomoyo left before closing the door, turning to see a rather frustrated looking Hazuki standing in the kitchen doorway.

"You promised no work today!" Hazuki complained.

"Sorry sweetie. I just need to make a quick call, and then I'll be all yours. Think you can wait with Syaoran for a couple of minutes?" Sakura apologised, feeling guilty.

She _had_ promised Hazuki she wouldn't do anything work related, but she really needed to ring Akiho as soon as possible to talk with her.

Hazuki looked annoyed, but she nodded. Sakura gave her a quick hug before disappearing into another room, leaving Syaoran with Hazuki. She walked back to her seat, where once they were sitting back down, Hazuki seemed to be fidgeting; she looked troubled, something Syaoran was not familiar with.

"What's up?" he decided to ask.

Hazuki looked away, starting to look increasingly more annoyed. Syaoran felt like he'd done something to upset her.

"Are you going to take my mum away?" she mumbled.

Syaoran's eyes widened. "Why would you think that?"

She stayed stubbornly silent.

"I would never do that to you." He smiled. "She's your mother-she would never leave you."

Hazuki looked unsure. "Sometimes she has to go away. And she's always busy."

Syaoran frowned. "But she comes back, doesn't she?"

Hazuki nodded and he smiled. "See? She'd never leave you."

Sensing the sureness of his words, Hazuki relaxed and smiled.

Sakura walked back in a few moments later and smiled, "Right! Coffee and lunch."

"Yay!" Hazuki shouted with glee.

Sakura carried over two mugs of hot coffee and gave one to Syaoran before placing hers on the table, and then started on cooking the pancakes. While she cooked, the conversation continued.

"That was Tomoyo at the door," Sakura explained, "She came to drop of a folder for me. A movie producer has commissioned us for the jewellery for their project, and they just sent back their thoughts on the current designs and want it reviewed by Tuesday."

Syaoran frowned, "What trash notice."

"Yeah. Anyway, enough of that." Sakura smiled, "Hazuki, why don't you tell Syaoran about kindergarten?"

Excited by the new topic about her, Hazuki started to babble on about her friends and teacher at kindergarten, and her favourite activities, while Syaoran listened with amusement. Once Sakura had finished cooking, she carried three plates over to the table and set them down.

"Lunch is served!" she announced.

"Yay!" Hazuki celebrated, throwing her hands in the air.

Sakura sat down with them and began eating her meal.

"These are really well made." Syaoran said.

"I told you!" Hazuki grinned proudly.

"Thank you," Sakura blushed.

"Perhaps next time I could cook." He suggested.

Hazuki's face lit up. "Really?"

"Sure."

Sakura smiled, "That sounds like a nice idea. Hazuki, honey, careful with your fork."

Syaoran smiled, already looking forward to it.

They ate their meals as they talked-it mostly involved Hazuki talking about her favourite show, until Sakura noticed she was looking very tired.

"Looks like it's time for a nap." Sakura said softly as she lifted Hazuki into her arms. "Come on. Let's put you to bed."

She looked to Syaoran to tell him she'd be back shortly, and he nodded his understanding. Carrying Hazuki upstairs to her bedroom, Sakura tucked her into bed.

"Mama?" Hazuki mumbled tiredly.

"What is it, sweetie?" Sakura smiled as she stroked her hair.

"Where's papa?"

The question sent a jolt right through Sakura's body. She had known for a while that Hazuki seemed upset about something, but she didn't know what it was until now. She should have known the question would come sooner or later. After all, Hazuki saw her friends get picked up by their fathers and mothers every day at kindergarten. She must have so many questions about her father and where he was.

"Go to sleep." Sakura smiled softly and leant in to kiss her forehead.

Hazuki closed her eyes and immediately drifted off to sleep. Sakura stood and gently closed the door on her way out.

Sakura hesitated walking back down the stairs, knowing that she and Syaoran needed to have a long talk. About Hazuki, about their relationship...

She could feel familiar heat pooling in her lower region. Sakura could not deny that she still wanted him-and only him. It was embarrassing to admit, but her body yearned for his, ever since that night. Recognising where her thoughts were taking her, Sakura went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face before heading downstairs.

Syaoran had just finished his coffee, so she offered to make another, which he accepted. There was silence between them while she made their coffee. Neither of them knew what to say, or how to approach what they wanted to discuss.

"To be honest..." Sakura stopped herself, unsure if she should continue, but she had Syaoran's attention now. She picked up their mugs and walked over to the table, handing him his cup before sitting down.

"To be honest, I didn't think you were interested in me." She confessed as she fidgeted with the rim of her cup.

Syaoran lowered his eyes. "I wanted to contact you..." he said, trailing off.

"What stopped you?" she asked. She wasn't angry, nor did she sound accusing. She was just curious.

"I thought you wouldn't really want to see me." He confessed, "I guess I would be more accurate to say that I was scared you wouldn't want anything to do with me."

Sakura smiled sadly. "What made you think that?"

Syaoran noticed the hurt on her face, and it was worse knowing that he was the one who had caused the pain.

"You're the CEO of a huge company... I guess I thought you wouldn't want anything to do with a nobody like me." He murmured.

"You're not a nobody." She said with a small smile. "I'm really happy you're being honest with me. I thought... I thought you just didn't want anything to do with me."

Syaoran wasn't sure how to feel-he wasn't sure if he should feel relieved that she wasn't angry with him, or if he should feel sad.

"Besides, it's not right for me to be upset that you never called me." She added.

"Why?" he asked, only feeling confused. She had given him her number and he hadn't called-he hadn't given her his contact details, so why was she feeling bad?

"Out of fear that I would just be bothering you, and out of fear that you wanted nothing to do with me, I never contacted you about an important matter." Sakura started. "A few weeks after that night we had spent together, I..."

Syaoran's heart started racing. It was like his heart had already connected the dots, but his own mind was still lagging behind, eager not to.

"I found out I was pregnant with Hazuki." Sakura finished her sentence. "You're her father."

Hearing the words from her mouth confirmed his suspicions, but he wasn't any less shocked. After all, it was only natural to feel a bit overwhelmed knowing your life was changing, and finding out you were a parent on top of that would be a shock for anyone.

Sakura looked so guilty and ashamed as she sat in her seat. He could only imagine what she must be feeling. He had been tearing himself up about not contacting her for so long, while she was ripping herself to shreds over not calling him to tell him he was a father.

"Who else knows?" he asked quietly.

"Tomoyo figured it out, but only at the wedding. No one else knows." She whispered. "I felt it was wrong that others knew when you didn't."

"So Hazuki doesn't know?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Are you... ashamed of sleeping with me?" he asked the question he dreaded the answer to most.

Sakura looked shocked. "Of course not! I never regretted it-ever! If I had the option of going back, I would still choose to... Without a second thought."

All of the tension suddenly seemed to leave Syaoran's body, replaced by relief. He smiled a little. "I'm relieved to hear that. Because I don't regret it either."

Sakura smiled, also feeling relieved. "I want you to be part of Hazuki's life, that is… if you want to be…?"

Syaoran nodded. "I still need time to process the news, but if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I want to be part of your lives."

She was caught off guard by his last few words. "Mine as well...?"

His cheeks warmed a little. "If...if you want me to be as well, I would like to."

Sakura smiled, feeling nothing but joy. "I'd really like that."

Another wave of relief flooded Syaoran. There was so much news to absorb, and it would take time, but Syaoran was not afraid to face it with his main worries been put to rest.

"Should...we tell Hazuki?" Sakura asked, fidgeting with the rim of her cup again.

Syaoran shook his head. "I think we should wait a little while. I still-no, we still need time to get used to this."

Sakura nodded. "Okay. That sounds reasonable."

"I don't want Hazuki to be smothered... I feel like it would be best for both of us to gradually get used to each other." Syaoran admitted.

Sakura smiled with understanding. "How about we start with you coming with me to pick her up from kinder?"

He thought about it for a moment and then smiled. "That sounds good."

"Great." She smiled.

"How old is she...?" Syaoran then asked.

"She turns four next week." Sakura answered. "On Wednesday."

"Wow."

"Everyone is coming over in the evening to celebrate with us... would you like to join us?" Sakura asked.

"I'd love to." He replied.

Sakura smiled, "I think it would be best if we waited before telling anyone else, as well."

Syaoran nodded agreement. "Is it okay if I at least tell Eriol?"

"I'm fine with that." She said with a smile, "Besides, Tomoyo knows."

He felt another wave of relief. It would help to have someone else he could talk to aside from Sakura when it came to Hazuki.

"So, what prompted you to come and live in Japan?" she suddenly asked.

Syaoran just smiled. "I prefer it here. Besides," his eyes locked with Sakura's, "I get more inspiration here."

Sakura felt her cheeks warm, realising what he was referring to.

Syaoran broke eye contact. "Does Hazuki have kindergarten tomorrow?"

"No. She's looked after by her babysitter on Mondays and Thursdays." Sakura answered.

"Ah, okay."

"Um... I like to keep all of Hazuki's artwork in folders and books... would you like to see them?" Sakura asked, "She really loves art, as I'm sure you've seen by her mess over there."

Syaoran smiled, feeling a small spike of pride knowing his _daughter_ shared the same passion as him.

"I'd actually really like that, thanks." He replied.

She nodded, and then headed upstairs to her study to grab all of the folders and books she kept Hazuki's work in. There was a lot-Sakura never threw away any of the pictures Hazuki drew or painted, so there were more than three thick, heavy folders full of her art. Sakura grabbed two and carried them downstairs where Syaoran was texting someone. She placed them on the table, and he looked up, raising his brow.

"There's a lot more," Sakura said, "But I don't think we'll have time to go through all of them. If you'd like, you can take them home to look at in your free time."

"You keep everything?" he asked with surprise.

"Is that weird?" She replied, "I guess most parents wouldn't think much of their child's drawings."

"I don't know." He confessed, unable to relate.

"This is all stuff she did when she first got her hands on pencils." Sakura opened the first book.

It was full of squiggles in different colours, strange shapes and things that resembled faces. As he turned the pages, he found that Sakura had not limited Hazuki's access to other mediums. She had taken photos of sandcastles they had made together at the beach, patterns Hazuki made with different items, and gradually the drawings started improving.

"What do you think...?" Sakura asked anxiously.

"She's got a lot of talent for her age." Syaoran smiled softly.

"As I'm sure you've already guessed, she loves making a mess with paint." Sakura laughed. "It's her favourite. I was thinking of enrolling her in a children's art program next year."

"She sounds like me when I was her age." Syaoran murmured. "Is it okay if I borrow these? I need to go-something sudden came up and my agent wants to see me."

Sakura just smiled, "Go ahead. Would you like the others as well?"

"Sure."

"They're upstairs and kind of heavy... would you mind...?"

Syaoran smiled and stood, following Sakura upstairs to her study. The first thing he noticed was that some parts were clean, while others were messy. Her bookshelves were neatly arranged in alphabetical order while her desk was covered in stacks of paper.

"Here," she said, pulling out another thick album from her bookshelf.

Syaoran took it from her, and she moved to get the others, piling them on top. They headed back down the stairs where Syaoran gathered his things and then headed for the door.

He turned to Sakura and smiled once more. "Thank you for lunch."

Sakura blushed. "It was my pleasure. Besides, I think Hazuki had a wonderful time. I'll message you about picking up Hazuki from kinder, and about her birthday."

"That sounds great." He smiled, "I'll see you soon, then."

Sakura hesitated for a second, but then she reached up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek, taking him by surprise.

"See you soon."

He nodded, cheeks a little pink, and then left.

Sakura took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Despite the complicated emotions she was feeling, Sakura was happy that he wanted to be part of her life and Hazuki's. She watched from the window as he drove away, and suddenly felt like the house was a lot colder without him there.

* * *

**Thanks for reading this chapter! Drop by a comment or review and let me know your thoughts? haha**


	4. Innocence

**Hey guys! Thanks for the follows, reviews and favourites :) here's the next chapter (I'm trying to keep them roughly the same length but i'm failing miserably. i'm sorry)**

* * *

Syaoran pulled up the driveway of his home, finding his agent parked outside the front of his property. With a sigh, Syaoran got out of his car, taking the heavy books with him, and headed for his front door.

"Hey Li!" His agent called out as they jogged up to him, "Have you finished the final piece for the exhibit on Christmas Eve?"

The man who was his agent was tall and good looking with graceful features. His hair was a copper colour while his eyes were a teal colour, thanks to his coloured contacts.

Syaoran pulled out his house keys and unlocked the door. "Not yet. There's a few things I want to add to the exhibit as well."

"This is very short notice." The man replied.

"I know."

Pushing open the door, Syaoran made his way to the kitchen where he carefully placed the albums of Hazuki's work before moving to make himself a cup of coffee.

"Do you want a cup of coffee, Sid?" Syaoran asked politely.

"No thanks, I just had one." The man replied, "What are these?"

Syaoran looked up to see that Sid was looking through the albums, his face showing confusion.

"These are all really childish..."

"I would hope so. They're done by a four-year-old." Syaoran answered.

"Why do you have these? Are they done by a family member?"

"Yes." Syaoran murmured.

"Oh? A niece? Nephew?" Sid pressed curiously.

"Neither. Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Syaoran asked.

"Ah yes-it's in regard to that piece we were talking about-"

"It's not for sale." Syaoran said firmly.

"Well, we were thinking we could do prints instead." Sid replied, looking hopeful.

"How many times do I have to repeat myself? It's a personal piece and I want it to stay that way." Syaoran said with frustration.

"But why? What is so personal about it? It's a stunning piece and it's very popular-especially amongst the younger adults." Sid pressed on, "It will be a great seller-"

The man stopped talking when he saw the glare he was getting from Syaoran. Syaoran was sick and tired of this recurring argument. He didn't understand what was so difficult about understanding the word "no". He was not selling the piece and that was final.

"Is that all?" Syaoran asked.

"I'll drop the topic for now, then. What are the pieces you wish to add to your exhibit?" Sid switched topic.

"Some of my more recent pieces." He murmured.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Sid replied, "When are you going to properly unpack your things? There's so much still left in boxes."

"I'll do it when I have time." He replied.

"Okay-I have to go and speak to these people now, so I'll see you later. Let me know when you've finished your work."

Syaoran just nodded, watching him as he left. He stood in silence as he drank his coffee, his mind wandering back to Sakura. He wondered if what he had been feeling for her over the last four years had turned into love somewhere along the line. He wondered if he could even be in love with her when he barely knew anything about her. But he reminded himself that he and Sakura were going to see how things went between them. So, it was sort of like dating…

God, relationships were so confusing.

All he knew was that he wanted her. Not just her body-he wanted to be with her despite not knowing everything about her. Despite the fact they never got into contact. And knowing that he was the father of her child made him want that more.

He just hoped she felt the same way.

...

Sakura felt ridiculously lucky that Tomoyo and Eriol had chosen not to go away for their honeymoon, as she wasn't sure she'd be able to stay sane without her secretary around to help her out.

Sakura signed off on documents and sat through long meetings with Tomoyo's help and support, and she couldn't be more grateful. For some reason, Monday's were usually the worst day of the week for Sakura.

"So, how was lunch yesterday?" Tomoyo asked while they were sitting together in Sakura's office, working through her pile of documents.

"It was nice," Sakura replied with a smile.

Tomoyo looked up from her page, looking at Sakura with disbelief. "It was nice? That's it?"

"What were you expecting?" Sakura asked with a small frown.

Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "I mean, how did things go with Syaoran? Did you two talk?"

Sakura paused her hand midway through signing something, and then put her pen down.

"Yeah," she murmured, "We did."

"Well, talk to me. Is everything okay?"

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "I guess the best term to describe us right now would be complicated."

Tomoyo looked at her with worry.

"I told him the truth about Hazuki, and how he is her father." She said, "He wants to be in her life, and he said he wants to be in mine as well."

"He wants to be in yours? So, what does that mean? Are you two going to be dating now?" Tomoyo asked.

"We're sort of seeing how things go... I..." Sakura trailed off, her expression becoming distant and sad.

Tomoyo reached across the table and placed her hands over Sakura's.

"It sounds like he took the news pretty well. Is he angry...?"

Sakura smiled and shook her head. "No. We both talked about our feelings on why we never contacted each other, and we both felt the same way-we were both scared."

Tomoyo smiled slyly. "So, it's not because you weren't interested."

Sakura furrowed her brow. "Tomoyo, what are you planning?"

"Nothing drastic." She replied, "I'm going to help you to further your relationship with him. After all, I think you'd be a perfect match for each other."

Sakura's face turned red, "But-Tomoyo! We-I-!"

"You might be the owner of a huge company and a mother, but that doesn't mean you can't fall in love and have fun. So, when are you seeing him next?" Tomoyo smiled.

"W-well, he's coming with me to pick up Hazuki from kindergarten tomorrow, and he's also going to join us on Wednesday for her birthday..." Sakura mumbled.

"That sounds wonderful." Tomoyo smiled. "How is Hazuki with Syaoran?"

"She's really taken a liking to him." Sakura replied. "I was quite surprised, to be honest-especially considering my last date."

"That's a good sign. So, you're just going to gradually introduce him into your lives?"

Sakura nodded. "I don't want to cause Hazuki too much stress."

"Will you talk with Touya about this...?" Tomoyo asked hesitantly.

Sakura looked away, picked up her pen and sighed. "I better get this finished before heading home."

Tomoyo sighed heavily and returned to finishing her own work as well.

As soon as Sakura stepped inside upon arriving home, Hazuki came crashing into her legs. With a big smile, Sakura lifted her into her arms.

"Hi honey," she greeted as she kissed her cheek.

"Hi mama!"

A few footsteps sounded and a woman appeared from the lounge room; she was slim and very pretty with her pale skin, platinum blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.

"Welcome home." She greeted Sakura, "Hazuki has been very chatty today."

"Hi Akiho-how was she today?" Sakura asked.

Akiho smiled, "She's been great-she kept talking about um... well, she mentioned you had a visitor yesterday."

Sakura realised she was talking about Syaoran. "Ah... yes, that was Syaoran."

"Is he a new friend?" Akiho asked.

Sakura wondered how she should explain it. "In a way... He's going to be a fairly big part of Hazuki's life, now. At some point I'll introduce you to him, but not right now."

Akiho just smiled, "That's fine."

"Mama, is Syao coming today?" Hazuki asked.

Sakura shook her head. "Not today, honey."

Hazuki looked a little disappointed but perked up just as quickly. "Can I have a chocolate?"

Sakura looked to Akiho who smiled. "She hasn't had one today."

Sakura nodded. "Okay, I'll get it for you in a minute. Would you mind waiting?"

Hazuki nodded, "Okay!"

Sakura placed her back on her feet and she ran back into the lounge room.

Sakura smiled at Akiho, "Thank you for taking care of her again."

"It's no trouble." Akiho replied, "Besides, seeing her is the best part of my week."

"Chiharu and Rika are taking her out on Wednesday... will you be joining us for her dinner party?" Sakura asked.

"I wish I could," Akiho said sadly, "But there are some things I have to take care of."

"Ah, that's too bad." Sakura smiled, "Let me know if anything changes."

"I will. Thank you, Sakura." Akiho returned her smile, "See you later Hazuki!"

"Bye bye!" Hazuki called back.

Sakura saw Akiho out the door and sighed softly as she closed it. She then walked into the kitchen and set her mind to making herself a hot cup of tea to drink while she made dinner. She looked in the fridge for ingredients, only to find she really needed to do the shopping. But, there was a bunch of eggs and some bacon.

_'That'll do.'_ She decided, pulling them out and putting them on the bench.

The sound of her mobile ringing distracted her from what she was doing; she pulled out her phone to see Syaoran's name on the screen. She smiled and answered it, holding the phone to her ear.

"Hi Syaoran," she greeted cheerfully.

"Hey, sorry to call you at an awkward hour." He replied.

"Don't worry about it. I'm only making myself a cup of tea." She laughed.

"I wasn't sure what time you would be home, so I wasn't sure when I should call." He confessed.

"You have pretty good timing. I just got home." She replied. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering about tomorrow, is all. Is it still okay If I come with you to pick Hazuki up?" he asked awkwardly, unsure if he was overstepping his boundaries.

"Ah! Sorry, I was supposed to send you the information last night!" she apologised, "Of course you're still welcome to come. If you'd like, I can pick you up...?"

"Whatever suits you is fine." Syaoran answered, sounding relieved.

"Great! Send me your address and I'll come and pick you up tomorrow afternoon! She finishes at about 3." Sakura explained.

"Thank you, Sakura."

She smiled, "Of course." She then added, "Hazuki was asking about you today. She seems to really like you."

"Asking about me...?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "I think she was hoping she'd get to see you again today. Would you mind if I put you on loudspeaker so she can say hello?"

"I'm not intruding, am I?" he asked worriedly.

"Of course not."

"Okay. Go ahead." Syaoran replied with a smile.

Sakura pulled her phone away from her ear and placed her hand over the phone's mic, so she didn't deafen Syaoran when she called out for Hazuki.

"Hazuki, do you want to say hello to Syaoran?"

Hazuki came running in looking excited. With a smile, Sakura switched the call over to loudspeaker and placed the phone on the bench.

"He's on the phone." Sakura told her.

"Hello!" Hazuki greeted cheerfully.

"Hi Hazuki." Syaoran greeted, "Did you have a good day today?"

"Me an' Akiho went to the playground today!" she chirped.

Sakura could already picture the look on Syaoran's face.

"Isn't it a little cold to be at the playground?" he asked.

"No!"

"Akiho takes her to the indoor playground occasionally." Sakura giggled.

"Ah. That explains it." He laughed.

"When can we play again?" Hazuki asked.

Sakura furrowed her brow, "Who, hun?"

"Me an' you, an' Syao." Hazuki replied.

"Well..." Sakura murmured.

"If your mother is able to, perhaps we can organise a time a bit later, okay?" Syaoran answered.

Sakura sighed with relief as she gathered the pots she needed, only to have one slip from her hands and clash to the ground. She yelped with surprise and accidentally kicked the bench, accidentally letting slip a few curse words.

Hazuki laughed, "Mummy's silly!"

Sakura bit back the pain and collected herself, placing the pot on the table.

"Are you okay?" Syaoran asked after a moment.

"I'm fine," Sakura replied, her voice strained.

"Mummy does that a lot!" Hazuki chirped.

"I'm not that bad..." Sakura mumbled, earning a laugh from both Syaoran and Hazuki.

"I should probably get going-I need to get a few things done." Syaoran confessed, much to Hazuki's dismay.

"Don't worry sweetheart, you'll get to talk to him again later." Sakura smiled, "Okay?"

Hazuki pulled a face that clearly meant she wasn't happy, and Sakura feared she was about to have a temper tantrum.

"Okay."

"I'll talk to you both later." Syaoran said, "Bye."

"Bye Syaoran." Sakura answered.

The call ended and Sakura could see that Hazuki was still sulking.

"Hazuki?" Sakura spoke softly. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't want him to go." She mumbled childishly.

"He has important things he needs to do." Sakura said. "Syaoran would really appreciate it if you waited for him. Can you do that for him?"

Hazuki looked at her feet. "Okay..."

Sakura smiled, "How about that chocolate you asked for, hm?"

She walked over to the pantry and opened it, looking for the box she had bought for Hazuki, and pulled out a chocolate.

She held it out to Hazuki who smiled, "Thank you."

She took the chocolate from Sakura's hand.

"You're welcome, sweetie. Now, why don't you go and play for a bit while I make dinner?" Sakura smiled.

"Okay!"

Hazuki ran off to the lounge once again, leaving Sakura in the kitchen. With a heavy sigh, she set herself to work on making dinner.

...

…

Syaoran looked at the painting in front of him, unsure how he felt about it. It felt a little boring compared to some of his older works, but he hadn't the foggiest idea of what it was lacking. He hadn't slept particularly great either-he'd been too busy thinking about picking Hazuki up from kindergarten with Sakura.

As he washed his brush, his thoughts once again shifted to Sakura and their discussion from the other day. He was a bit nervous about the current arrangement, but not because he wasn't sure of his feelings. He was anxious about what he was supposed to do as a parent, and about, well, everything in general.

The doorbell rang once, twice, then three times. Irritated, Syaoran stood and walked out of the room to answer the front door. He looked through the window to see who it was, and when he saw it was just Eriol, he opened the door to let him in.

"Hey," Eriol greeted, "You look like you're in a bad mood."

Syaoran shrugged. "I'm just frustrated." He replied, "Coffee?"

"Sure." Eriol accepted his offer and followed Syaoran to the kitchen. "So, what's frustrating you?"

"My agent." Syaoran replied.

"Ah. Is he trying to get you to sell that painting again?"

Syaoran nodded and Eriol sighed. "They really want you to sell it, don't they?"

"Only so they can make a profit from it." Syaoran growled. "Sometimes there are pieces an artist just wants to keep for themselves."

"Sounds like they'll just keep pestering you about it. You painted it for someone, didn't you?" Eriol recalled when he had first seen the painting four years ago. Syaoran had told him it was for someone.

"I did. And it's only meant for her." He murmured.

"By her, I assume you mean Sakura?" Eriol smiled.

"What gave it away?" Syaoran frowned as he gave Eriol his coffee.

"Everyone's noticed the way you two look at each other-it's no different from the night at the club or Chiharu's and Yamazaki's wedding." Eriol shrugged. "Actually, it is different-the way the two of you look at each other is like two people in love who haven't confessed their feelings."

Syaoran was quiet for a moment, not reacting to Eriol's deliberate fishing.

"So that's how we look, huh?" Syaoran murmured. "I'll have to tell her that later."

Eriol choked. "Wait, what? Don't tell me you two are dating or something?"

Syaoran lifted his coffee to his mouth. "More or less."

Eriol just stared at him with an unreadable expression, stopping only to sip his coffee. Then, something clicked.

"Hazuki is your daughter, isn't she?" he said gently.

Syaoran nodded.

"When did you find out?"

"Sunday." Syaoran replied, "We had a long talk... While we were talking, we both wanted the same thing-for me to be part of both of their lives."

Eriol looked concerned. "You're not angry she didn't tell you?"

Syaoran stared into his cup, staying silent for a few minutes as he recalled the moment Sakura had told him the truth.

"At first, I was. But when I thought about it from how she must have felt when I didn't call her, I realised I probably would have done the same thing she did." Syaoran confessed, "We both regret not having contacted each other, but we don't regret what happened that night."

Eriol smiled. "So, you've both decided to move on together, eh?"

"Yeah." Syaoran murmured, "Something like that."

"Maybe now the two of you will stop being so depressed." Eriol snorted.

"Oh, shut up." Syaoran muttered. Eriol laughed.

Looking at his watch, Syaoran realised it was almost time for Sakura to pick him up.

Eriol sighed heavily, "I should really get back to the lab... see you later, Syaoran."

"You should really stop leaving the lab randomly, you know." Syaoran rolled his eyes, earning himself a laugh from Eriol as he walked out the door.

While he waited for Sakura, Syaoran set about to put some of his paints away and clean his brushes. Sakura arrived with good timing; he had just finished cleaning his brushes when she knocked on the door, so he grabbed his things and opened to door to see she was dressed in a thin coat over the top of her work clothes.

She smiled as soon as she saw him. "Ready?"

He nodded, "That doesn't look very warm."

"Oh-I'm fine!" She replied, looking a little flustered. "Er, let's get going-we don't want to keep Hazuki waiting!"

But Syaoran saw right through her and his face said just as much. Pretending not to notice, Sakura hurried back to the car and he followed, wondering why she hadn't bothered to buy herself a decent winter coat when she could afford it.

"You should really buy yourself a warmer coat." Syaoran said as he got into the passenger seat.

"I don't really have the time. Now, let's go get Hazuki." Sakura replied, eager to get off the topic.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Syaoran asked.

"Um... Nothing, if I recall. Why?" Sakura replied.

"We're going shopping." He answered.

"Ah... Okay." Sakura felt her cheeks burn.

"Does Hazuki know I'm coming today?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura nodded, "I explained to her last night that you would be coming with me to pick her up from now on," she explained, "She's so excited."

"I suppose she doesn't register the sudden change in her life, does she?" he murmured with concern.

"I think she probably does, in her own way. But at four years old, her main concern is being able to make as much of a mess as she can." Sakura laughed. Syaoran smiled.

The pair were greeted by Hazuki's kindergarten teacher, whose eyes widened with surprise when she laid eyes on Syaoran.

"Miss Kinomoto-how nice to see you again." The teacher greeted kindly.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled, "How was Hazuki today?"

The teacher looked over at the play area; Hazuki was playing in the dress-ups with a few other children.

"She's been a bit distracted, and a little agitated. Is there something happening at home...?"

Sakura sighed softly. "Actually..."

Syaoran gently placed his hand on Sakura's shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze. Sakura smiled up at him.

"Syaoran, this is Hazuki's teacher, Mrs. Suzumi." Sakura introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Syaoran greeted.

"Likewise," Mrs Suzumi replied.

"Syaoran is going to be coming with me to pick Hazuki up from now on," Sakura explained.

Mrs Suzumi nodded, "I see-is he a new caretaker?"

"Actually..." Sakura hesitated. She hadn't spoken to Syaoran about telling Hazuki's teacher who he really was, so she wasn't sure if she should say anything without his permission.

"I'm Hazuki's father." Syaoran answered.

Mrs Suzuki's eyes widened in shock. "Does Hazuki know this?"

"We haven't told her... we thought it would be best to gradually introduce him into her life." Sakura answered.

"I see... Well, it would certainly explain her attitude."

"Were we wrong...?" Sakura asked anxiously.

Mrs Suzumi smiled gently. "I think it's a pretty normal reaction for her age. Try not to stress about it too much."

Hazuki looked up from what she was doing and spotted Sakura and Syaoran, making a bee line straight towards them.

"Syao! Mama!"

Syaoran smiled. "It looked like you were enjoying yourself." He said, "Who were you dressing up as?"

"Mummy!" she chirped. "I had a phone like mama, too!"

Sakura smiled as Hazuki chattered on about how she was mimicking her, and while Hazuki was distracted, Sakura signed her out for the day.

"See you on Thursday." Mrs Suzumi smiled.

Sakura smiled in response and walked over to where Hazuki and Syaoran were.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Syaoran replied.

Sakura took Hazuki's hand and together, they left and headed for the car.

"Are you coming to our house today?" Hazuki asked Syaoran as they walked.

Syaoran smiled, "I'm sorry Hazuki, but I have something important I need to do."

Hazuki's face fell. "Aw, Okay..."

"Sorry Hazuki." Syaoran replied. He felt bad for making her pull such an expression, but she quickly perked back up.

"Mama, can we make cakes? Pretty please?" Hazuki asked, "The ones with the sparkles on top!"

Sakura smiled, "That sounds like a great idea."

"Just don't drop the pots again." Syaoran snorted.

Sakura felt her face turn red. "H-hey!"

Syaoran and Hazuki laughed.

They drove back to Syaoran's house with Hazuki talking about her day on the way. As Sakura pulled up the driveway, Hazuki made a sound of disappointment.

"Do you have to go now?" she mumbled.

Syaoran smiled apologetically. "I do. But you're making some cakes with Sakura."

"Maybe we can save some for Syaoran, hm?" Sakura suggested.

Hazuki smiled, "Yeah!"

"I guess I'll see you again soon." He said.

"Yeah," Sakura smiled, "Thanks for coming today."

Syaoran lifted his hand, about to reach out to touch her cheek, but stopped as he reminded himself that Hazuki was watching. He got out of the car and closed the door, and as Sakura drove away, Hazuki waved to Syaoran and he waved back. And once they were gone, Syaoran headed back inside.

He spotted his phone on the bench and picked it up, unlocking it to find he had multiple missed calls from the same number and a bunch of text messages. He sighed heavily. He had come to Japan to get away from that, but he realised that perhaps he was being too naive. He deleted the messages and ignored the phone calls, locked his phone and left it on the bench before heading back to his studio to work.


	5. Here

**Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

Sakura slumped over her desk, completely and utterly exhausted from her long day at work. She had come in extra early that morning so that she could get all of her work done, so that she could go home to Hazuki early. It was her birthday, after all, and Sakura always made a point to get home to her as soon as possible-more so on the special day. She shivered and cursed having not gotten a warmer jumper that morning.

"Oh, you're done already?" Tomoyo's voice sounded as she walked in.

"Tomoyo, can you turn the heater up?" Sakura complained.

"Not without it roasting the others." Tomoyo answered. "Here's your coffee from the cafe downstairs."

Sakura day up and took the cup from Tomoyo's hand. "Thanks."

"Honestly, Sakura, why don't you just go and buy some warmer clothes already?" Tomoyo sighed.

"But these clothes are fine." Sakura replied.

"Honey, you just asked me to turn the heater up." Tomoyo said. "At least get a warmer coat."

"Syaoran's taking me shopping on Saturday. He wouldn't take no for an answer." Sakura confessed after a small moment of silence.

"Great-I'll take Hazuki for the day then." Tomoyo smiled.

"Eh? But-!"

"No arguing." Tomoyo sang.

Sakura sighed. "Okay."

"I'm surprised though. It's only been a few days since the two of you met again."

"I know... for some reason it already feels like he's been part of my life for a long time." Sakura murmured.

"Well, maybe it's because he has." Tomoyo said, "Perhaps not physically here in person, but you never forgot about him. There's also the matter of Hazuki…"

Sakura smiled a little. "Maybe you're right... Hazuki's already so attached-I wonder why she's like that with Syaoran and not any of the other guys I've dated?"

"Maybe you should ask her." Tomoyo shrugged.

She sighed. "Maybe... Anyway, I think I can head home now. I need to prepare for her little party tonight; Chiharu and Rika are helping out Akiho today as well." Sakura smiled.

"I'll see you tonight then." Tomoyo replied.

Sakura grabbed her handbag and coat and hurried out of the office, eager to get home to her daughter. As she reached the car, her phone rang in her pocket. She pulled it out to find it was Syaoran, so she answered it quickly.

"Hi Syaoran," she greeted, teeth chattering.

"Where are you?" he asked, sounding equal parts amused and concerned.

"I just got in my car," she replied, "I'm about to head home-it's freezing."

"_This_ is why you need warmer clothes." He snorted.

"Everyone's picking on me today." She mumbled. He laughed.

"Anyway, what's up? Are you still able to come tonight?" she asked, fearing the worst.

"I can still come," he assured her, "I might be a little late though, that's all."

"Ah, that's alright. How late?" Sakura asked anxiously.

"Maybe half an hour to an hour?" he replied.

She smiled. "Alright. Thank you for calling and letting me know."

"It's the least I can do. See you tonight, Sakura."

The call ended. Sakura groaned, embarrassed that she had been told off for her lack of winter clothing again and started the car. She turned the heater on to warm up her hands, then made a move to head home.

She got home to find that the house had been decorated in pink and yellow, Hazuki's two favourite colours. There were coloured streamers hanging around the room along with balloons, and-much to her dismay-glitter. The wretched, most nightmarish thing for any parent. _God damn glitter._

The smell of cooking entered her nostrils, taking her attention to the kitchen.

"Mummy!" Hazuki squealed with delight and ran over to hug Sakura's legs.

Sakura smiled, "Hey sweetie! Oh, don't you look beautiful-who helped you get all dressed up?"

Hazuki's hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a pale-yellow ribbon, and her hair had been curled. She was dressed in a warm winter dress with tights and a woollen cardigan, the same shade as her ribbon, and her cardigan had printed with pink flowers over it.

"Chi and Rika!" She replied. "Akiho's been baking."

"Oh really? What has she been baking for us?"

"Yummy stuff!" she beamed.

Sakura laughed and kissed her forehead, "Let's go and have a look."

Hazuki bounced back into the kitchen where Akiho, Chiharu and Rika were all working at the bench. Akiho had just finished organising some slices and decorating cupcakes, while Chiharu and Rika were adding the finishing touches on Hazuki's birthday cake.

Sakura smiled, "Thank you for all you've done today," she said gratefully.

The three women returned Sakura's smile. "It was no problem! We had a lot of fun, actually. Right, Hazuki?" Chiharu smiled.

"Yeah!"

"Is Tomoyo on her way?" Akiho asked.

Sakura nodded, "She just had to finish of something at work. Did you girls pick up the things I asked for okay?"

"Yep! The four of us all went on a trip to the shopping district today." Rika smiled.

"It was lotsa fun! And now mama is home too!"

Sakura picked Hazuki up. "Wow, it's been a big day, hm?"

"Cake's done!" Chiharu cheered.

"Great-I'll get started on the preparations for dinner." Sakura smiled.

"Hazuki, would you like to go outside and play in the snow?" Rika asked.

Hazuki's face lit up like lights on a Christmas tree. "Yes! Mama, can I? Can I?"

"For a little while," Sakura smiled, "Your visitors will be arriving soon."

"Yay!"

Sakura placed her down on her feet so she could follow Rika and Akiho from the room, while Chiharu stayed to help Sakura.

"You must be exhausted, Sakura. Why don't you sit down and have a hot drink while I start?" Chiharu offered.

Sakura smiled and shook her head, "I'm fine, but thank you for offering. I just had a coffee from the café at work."

Chiharu just nodded. "Okay. At least let me help you with dinner."

"Thank you, Chiharu." Sakura replied with a smile, and then moved to start gathering the ingredients she needed from the cupboard and fridge.

"How's Yamazaki?" Sakura asked.

"Takashi is doing great. His career as a comedian really suits him."

"That's great!" Sakura smiled, "Will he be joining us tonight?"

Chiharu nodded. "He can only stay for a little while, but he wanted to wish Hazuki a happy birthday in person."

"I really appreciate that. I think Hazuki will too." Sakura said as she arranged the roast chicken on the tray, ready to be put in the oven.

Chiharu proceeded to cut up some potatoes to put in the oven as they continued to talk.

"Are you going to Syaoran's exhibit on Christmas Eve?" Chiharu asked.

"Yes, Syaoran invited us to come along." Sakura replied.

"It's a pity his family won't be there, though." Chiharu said.

Sakura furrowed her brow. "His family?"

"Yeah. Syaoran moved here on his own, but I would have thought his family would at the very least come and see his first international exhibit." Chiharu said, "Guess they're busy."

Sakura wondered how Syaoran felt about his family not coming to celebrate with him-was he hurting inside?

"Let's get these seasoned..." Chiharu mumbled as she moved about, looking for the things she needed.

"Do you not know much about Syaoran's family?" Sakura asked, unable to help being curious.

Chiharu shrugged, "If Takashi knows anything, he hasn't told me. But Syaoran usually keeps to himself-he doesn't talk about his family much."

"Oh, I see…"

Sakura moved on to cutting vegetables, and by the time she had finished all she could do for the current moment, Tomoyo and Eriol had arrived. Naoko arrived not long after, and Yamazaki arrived a little before six. Sakura finished bringing Hazuki's presents out into the lounge room just as Rika and Akiho managed to convince her to come inside. Upon seeing the pile of presents, Hazuki started bouncing with excitement.

"Can I open them yet?" she pleaded.

"Of course," Sakura smiled.

Hazuki cheered and sat down on the floor in front of the pile, pulling the first gift towards her, and started pulling away the sparkling pink gift wrap. Tomoyo stood nearby with her camera, recording the child, which hardly surprised anyone in the room. Hazuki squealed with delight when she unwrapped a huge plush rabbit toy that was nearly as tall as her. It was a gift from Chiharu. From Rika, she received some basic art kits for children of Hazuki's age, and Naoko wrote and illustrated a story book just for her. Akiho had spoiled Hazuki a little with a box of her favourite chocolates and a new doll to play with.

Sakura, however, had spoiled Hazuki the most with a bunch of new toys, some movies and picture books, and a set of brand-new coloured markers.

The doorbell rang, distracting Sakura, and she stood from the couch to answer it. She opened the door to find Syaoran standing on her doorstep, and she smiled upon seeing him.

"Come in," she stepped to the side, allowing Syaoran through.

"I'm sorry I'm so late," he apologised once again.

"Syao!" Hazuki squealed as she came hurtling out of the lounge room and into his legs, surprising him.

The surprise disappeared as quickly as it came, however, and he smiled. "Hey there-happy birthday."

She smiled brightly, "Thank you!"

He held out a small bag from a familiar store and Hazuki's eyes lit up with excitement. She took the bag and peeked inside, and sure enough, she found a box of her favourite chocolates inside. Sakura looked at Syaoran curiously; he smiled a little.

"I asked Eriol what she liked." He confessed.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled gratefully, touched that he had gone to the trouble to find out what Hazuki might like for her birthday, despite only knowing the child for a few days.

Eriol peered around the corner and caught Syaoran's eye, so he waved. "You're late,"

"Yeah, I had to finalise something for the exhibit." Syaoran confessed.

"Come, come!" Hazuki grabbed Syaoran's hand and pulled him with her towards the lounge room. Smiling, Sakura followed after them.

However, despite the cheerful celebration that continued going on, Sakura was not expecting any more visitors that night. So, when she heard the doorbell ring, she was only filled with apprehension. She opened the door slightly to find Yukito standing on the doorstep in the cold. She looked around in search for one other.

"He's not with me, Sakura." Yukito spoke softly.

Sakura relaxed her shoulders. "Come in." She murmured.

Yukito stepped into the warmth of her house, grateful to be out of the cold. Sakura stood in the hallway awkwardly with her hands crossed over her chest.

"Can I see Hazuki?" he asked.

"Of course..." Sakura turned and headed towards the lounge room where Hazuki was playing with the others.

"Hazuki, come here for a moment." She called out.

Hazuki looked up from what she was doing with Chiharu and ran over.

"Hello!" she chirped.

"Happy birthday," Yukito congratulated the four-year-old, who gave him a toothy grin.

"Did you have a good day?" Yukito then asked, and Hazuki nodded.

"Syao came too!"

Yukito looked to Sakura, wondering who Hazuki was talking about. Hazuki ran into the lounge room and returned a few moments later pulling Syaoran with her. Yukito smiled kindly as he made eye contact with the young man.

"Er... Yukito, this is Syaoran. Syaoran, this is Yukito-he's a family friend and my brothers' husband." Sakura introduced the two.

"Syao has the same eyes as me! See?" Hazuki broke the tense moment, opening her eyes as wide as she could, and Sakura burst into laughter.

"You do too," Yukito laughed, "By the way Hazuki, here's your birthday present."

Yukito handed the four-year-old the box he had been holding, and she proceeded to open it to find it was a dinosaur costume.

"Yay!" she cheered, "Mama look! Yuki gave me a dinner costume!"

Sakura tried hard not to laugh at Hazuki's inability to say dinosaur correctly.

"Wow-you've been begging for one for ages, haven't you?" Sakura smiled, "Why don't you go and show the others?"

"Okay!" Hazuki pranced back into the lounge room, leaving the three adults alone.

"Dinner costume?" Syaoran raised his brow.

"It's what she calls dinosaurs." Sakura giggled.

"Ah, Syaoran, is it? It's nice to meet you." Yukito spoke.

Syaoran returned the smile, "Thank you."

"I'm sorry for interrupting your night," Yukito apologised, "I should get going."

Sakura opened the door for him and he stepped outside.

"Take care, Sakura." Yukito added.

She nodded. "Thank you for Hazuki's gift." She murmured.

Yukito just smiled in response, and then headed down the footpath and out the gate.

Sakura closed the door with a sigh. "Right," She said, "Dinner should be ready. Would you mind telling the others?"

Recognising that Sakura did not want to talk about whatever had just happened, Syaoran nodded and did as she asked.

No one brought up the visit from Yukito for the rest of the night. Dinner was enjoyed by everyone, with laughter, fun and games following after. And after most of the guests had headed home, Sakura tucked Hazuki in for the night. It came as no surprise to Sakura when Hazuki fell asleep almost straight away. After all, she'd had a very long day. She kissed Hazuki on the forehead and then switched off the light, closing the door behind herself on the way out.

She headed back to the kitchen Where Syaoran was sitting at the table with his cup of coffee she had made him.

"Thank you for coming again," Sakura said as she sat down. "I hope she doesn't give poor Akiho a hard time tomorrow."

"Her babysitter?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura nodded.

"Why would Hazuki give her a hard time?" Syaoran asked with a furrowed brow.

"When she's had a particularly long day, she can be quite agitated the next day." Sakura replied.

"Oh."

"I'm pretty exhausted myself, to be honest." Sakura smiled. "Anyway, you said you had to finalise something for your exhibit, right? Did something go wrong?"

Syaoran shook his head, "Nah, I made a few last-minute decisions is all."

"Ah."

"Sakura I..." he trailed off, unsure of what to say.

She watched him with her gentle emerald gaze, wondering what was on his mind. Without really thinking, she reached across the table and laid her hand over his. Her cheeks warmed as she realised what she had done.

"Hazuki had a really good day." Sakura said, "I'm so relieved."

"You were worried?" he asked.

"Last year she cried all day because I wasn't home." She replied. "That was _not_ fun."

Syaoran cringed at the thought. "Have you..."

She gave him a smile, waiting for him to continue. Their hands remained together in the middle of the table, both of them merely enjoying the physical contact and the warmth it gave.

"Have you been raising Hazuki on your own all of this time?" he asked.

"More or less, yes. My father helped me out a lot when she was a baby-he couldn't make it today, though... He had something he had to do for the university he used to work at."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise," she smiled, "Besides, we talked about this, right?"

He smiled, "Right."

"Um... I'm looking forward to the weekend..." she confessed.

"Me too." He smiled.

"Hazuki is going to spend the day with Tomoyo and Eriol. I thought it would be nice if it were just us..." Sakura trailed off.

She hoped she hadn't offended him; she wasn't sure if he wanted Hazuki to come along as well. But her feelings were put at ease when he smiled mischievously.

"Oh, so I'll have you all to myself? Perfect." He joked.

Sakura felt herself burst into laughter. "Aren't you pleased?"

"Very." He laughed with her.

Sakura stood, "Its more comfortable in the lounge room. Why don't we sit in there?"

He nodded and stood to follow her into the other room. Sakura picked up the remote to turn the tv on but hesitated for a moment.

She turned to him, "Would you like to watch a movie? I haven't watched one in a while, and it's always nice to watch them with someone..."

He smiled, "Sure."

Sakura's face lit up. She walked over to the shelves where all of the DVDs were-most of them were children's movies, but Sakura had a selection of movies for herself, too. She picked one at random without giving it much thought, and then proceeded to put it on before joining Syaoran on the couch.

...

The weekend came a lot faster than Sakura had anticipated. Tomoyo had picked up Hazuki at twelve, and Syaoran had arrived to pick up Sakura not long after. Due to it being so close to Christmas, it was incredibly busy and almost suffocating.

"Thank god I got all of Hazuki's Christmas shopping done." Sakura murmured.

Syaoran burst out laughing. "Let's get moving then," he said, "Anywhere you want to go first?"

Sakura looked thoughtful. "There is one store I really like..."

"Lead the way."

So, Sakura started to weave her way through the crowds with Syaoran behind her. But when she finally got clear of the thickest part of the crowd, she couldn't see Syaoran. Warmth closed around her hand and she looked up to see him smiling.

"I almost lost you." He said.

"Sorry," she apologised, "It's just up ahead. Let's go."

Neither of them let go of each other's hand as they walked. Sakura hummed a cheerful tune as they walked, making Syaoran smile. She led him to a small clothing store that she often liked to shop at. There were a few different winter coats to choose from, as well as winter dresses, pants, shoes, and tops.

"I haven't been in here in months." Sakura confessed.

Syaoran raised his brow. "When was the last time you shopped for yourself?"

Sakura shrugged. "Hmm...a few months...?"

Syaoran just sighed. Sakura was the type of girl to put other people's needs before her own. In this case, she always put Hazuki's needs before her own.

"So," he said, "Anything you like?"

"Let's see..." she hummed.

Sakura walked over to where the coats were hanging and examined them. She usually preferred buying the more basic and professional coats, but sometimes she would spot something she really liked that she couldn't resist.

This was one of those times. The coat she had spotted was creme with pale pink accents. The lining was fluffy and extra warm, perfect for the cold unforgiving winter. She found her size and tried the coat on, turning around to face Syaoran.

"What do you think?" She asked.

Syaoran smiled, "It looks good on you."

She returned his smile. "I really like it-it's really comfortable."

"I'll buy it for you." He said.

Sakura's face turned pink. "N-no, you don't have to! I can pay for it, it's no trouble!" she stuttered.

"But I want to." His amber eyes burned through her with such intensity, Sakura couldn't say no.

"O-okay..."

He took the coat from her after she slid out of it, and she turned her attention to the other things in the store. Smiling, Syaoran walked with her as she looked at the clothing. Occasionally she would pick something up and examine it-sometimes she would try it on, other times she would put it back without a second thought. In the end, though, she settled on just getting the coat.

Once they left the store, Syaoran looked to Sakura. "Would you like to have a look around?"

Sakura smiled, "It wouldn't hurt for me to pick up a few things while we're here. I haven't bought Tomoyo's Christmas present yet."

Syaoran grimaced. "Christmas shopping..."

"I-I didn't mean to offend you!" Sakura panicked.

"Oh-sorry, no. You just reminded me that I've completely forgotten to buy anyone anything." He confessed. He'd been too preoccupied with moving in to his new place and with learning that he was a father.

Sakura laughed. "Maybe we can find something together, then."

With that in mind, the pair set off to explore the other shops. Despite the thick crowds and loud noise, they seemed to enjoy themselves wholeheartedly. But when they returned to Sakura's house, neither of them were quite ready to part just yet.

"Would you like to come in?" Sakura asked. "Hazuki won't be home for another few hours."

"Sure." Syaoran replied with a smile.

They both got out of the car and headed inside; Sakura started on making hot coffee for the two of them as she hummed a cheerful tune, while Syaoran waited.

"I know the shops were exhausting, but I had a lot of fun today." She said as she moved around the kitchen.

Syaoran smiled, "I had a good time as well."

"Um... I know this might sound a bit forward of me, but do you have any plans for Christmas...?" she asked shyly.

"No, I don't, to be honest." Syaoran replied. "Apart from the exhibit on Christmas Eve."

"Then would you like to join us for the day? Tomoyo and Eriol are going away for Christmas, and Chiharu and Rika will be busy with their families." Sakura said as she handed him his coffee.

Syaoran took the warm mug and smiled softly. "I'd really like that."

Sakura's face lit up. "Really? That's great! It was going to be just me and Huz otherwise."

"What about your family...?" he asked.

Sakura looked away sadly, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, there was a loud knock on the door. She hesitated for a split second, but then headed to the door to see who it was. Syaoran watched her with concern and placed his coffee down on the table before following her. She opened the door a little to see the familiar face of her older brother, Touya. She frowned.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"To see you." Touya replied.

"I told you not to come here anymore." Sakura frowned.

"Sakura, I just want to talk." Touya pleaded.

She wasn't sure she believed him, but some small part of her hoped that maybe they could just talk for a little while. So, she opened the door to let him in. Touya stepped into the warm house, his eyes immediately landing on Syaoran who stood behind Sakura. She closed the door and spotted that Touya had narrowed his eyes at the sight of the man.

"Touya, this is Syaoran." Sakura spoke calmly, "Syaoran, this is my brother, Touya."

"Pleased to meet you." Syaoran smiled politely, despite Touya's glare.

"Where's Hazuki?" Touya asked.

"She's with Tomoyo today. Syaoran and I went out on a date." Sakura answered coldly. "What is it you want to talk about?"

"How long have you been seeing each other?"

"That is none of your business." Sakura snapped.

Touya turned to his sister, eyes glowering. "He's not right for you."

A deadly silence befell the room. Sakura lifted her hand and pointed to the door. Syaoran kept his expression neutral, but regardless, he still felt a little pissed that he was being judged for no reason.

"Get. Out."

"Sakura, listen to me-"

"I said GET OUT." Sakura shouted.

"I won't-not until you understand that you're making a mistake!" Touya yelled back.

"I am not a child! I can make my own decisions and I will decide what's best for ME AND Hazuki." Sakura shouted back, "Get out, right now!"

"How do you know he's good for Hazuki?" Touya shouted at her, "After all those other times-"

"He's her father!" Sakura yelled.

Touya's eyes immediately flicked to Syaoran, his face white with rage.

"So, it was you," he snarled, "You're the one who-"

But Touya never finished his sentence. A loud slap rang through the room. Sakura, eyes full of angry tears, glared at her brother.

"Don't you _dare_ blame him for anything. _Don't you dare_." She hissed. "Get out."

Touya, still shocked from having been slapped by Sakura, pulled open the wooden door and slammed it shut on his way out.

Sakura and Syaoran both stood in silence. Syaoran wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, but he wasn't sure that was what she needed right now. Instead, he offered her a small smile.

"Why don't you sit down in the lounge? I'll grab our drinks from the kitchen."

Normally Sakura would protest given that Syaoran was her guest, but instead she nodded tiredly and headed off to sit down. True to his word, Syaoran grabbed their drinks and took them into the lounge, handing Sakura her mug before he sat down with his own. He wasn't sure what to do, nor was he sure how he felt about what had just transpired.

"I'm so sorry." Sakura apologised as tears slid down her cheeks.

"It's alright." He replied softly.

"No, it's not!" she cried, "Touya said such horrible things..."

Syaoran put his mug on the coffee table and reached over to wipe her tears away. "I don't get along with my family either." He confessed. "It's part of the reason I moved to Japan."

She looked at him with a bit of surprise. "What happened...?" she asked.

"My parents don't like my choice of profession. They want me to take up medicine and continue the family business as a doctor." He explained.

Sakura lowered her eyes. "Touya and I haven't been getting along since I found out I was pregnant with Hazuki."

Syaoran wondered what it must have been like for Sakura when she found out she was pregnant, and how she coped with everything that followed. From the sounds of it, though, she'd had a rough time with her family.

"Dad never pushed me for answers. Instead he just told me that if I ever wanted to talk, I could go to him. He was so supportive and never once lectured me for my choices..." Sakura trailed off. "Unlike Touya."

She let out a big sigh and then smiled, although it was sad. "Enough of the drama." She forced a small laugh.

"Siblings suck sometimes." Syaoran murmured.

"You have siblings too?" She asked.

"Four sisters." He replied, "They drove me mental while I was growing up."

Sakura laughed, "How so?"

"Oh, don't get me started," he smiled, "Though I'm sure I drove them insane at times, too."

"Do you get on well with your sisters?" she asked, curious to know more.

He nodded, "They wanted to come to the exhibit on Christmas Eve, but they can't make it for family reasons."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She smiled sympathetically.

He returned her smile, "Thanks, but it's okay."

Finishing the rest of her coffee, Sakura placed the mug on the coffee table and grabbed the cushion next to her. She wasn't sure what possessed her to do it, but she then proceeded to throw it at Syaoran's head. It hit him and she let out a little giggle; he looked at her with surprise and then mischief, as he moved to pick up another cushion, throwing it back at her.

She dodged and grabbed another cushion to throw at him, but this time he caught it and threw it back. Sakura found herself laughing more than she had in years as their pillow fight waged on; Syaoran couldn't remember the last time he'd done something so ridiculous and enjoyed it. At some point they found themselves lying on the floor next to each other, breathless.

"Well," Sakura breathed, "Let's call it a draw."

Syaoran laughed, "Whatever you say."

They both turned their heads to look at each other, their eyes locking. Sakura searched his amber pools wondering what he might be thinking, not realising she had inched closer to him. Syaoran lifted his hand to gently tuck some of her hair behind her ear, his fingertips brushing against her cheek.

"Is this okay?" he asked softly.

"Yes," She whispered.

Syaoran closed the gap between their lips. Their first kiss was gentle and sweet. They parted for mere seconds before Sakura claimed his lips again; this time, their kiss was filled with need and desire. Sakura pressed her body closer to his, desperate for the warmth he gave her, then slid her hands beneath the hem of his shirt. Syaoran kissed her harder as he slid his own hand beneath her top and undid the clasp of her bra, pulling away in favour of peeling her top off over her head, taking her bra with it.

Sakura blushed as his eyes took in her half naked form beneath him, but she wasn't embarrassed. She felt a little nervous, anxious even, as she wondered what was going through his mind.

"You're still as beautiful as I remember." He said gently.

She smiled and pulled him in to claim his lips once more.

They threw apart, though, when the doorbell rang loud and clear.

"Shit-!" Sakura looked at the clock hanging on the wall. "That will be Tomoyo with Hazuki!"

"I'll get the door while you get dressed." Syaoran murmured as he got to his feet.

Grateful for his help, Sakura grabbed her bra and top and made a mad dash for the bathroom. Meanwhile, Syaoran pulled open the front door to find Hazuki looking terribly upset. Tomoyo stood next to her holding her hand, and her eyes widened upon seeing Syaoran.

"Oh-Syaoran, I wasn't expecting you." Tomoyo blurted out, but then gasped. "Oh goodness, I'm sorry."

Syaoran shook his head and gave her a small smile. "It's fine. Sakura's in the bathroom... Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine... well, Hazuki doesn't think so."

"Why?" his brow furrowed.

"She chucked a tantrum when I told her chickens couldn't eat dog food." Tomoyo replied.

Syaoran's facial expression quickly changed to one of complete and utter confusion.

"Hi Tomoyo," Sakura greeted as she walked up behind Syaoran, "Hazuki, come here."

Hazuki, still sulking, begrudgingly made her way over to her mother.

"What did I tell you?" Sakura asked firmly, but calmly.

Hazuki just turned her face the other way in defiance. Sakura sighed. She returned her attention to Tomoyo and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks for looking after her today."

"Of course. We had a pretty good day, until her tantrum." Tomoyo smiled, "Well, I'll see you later, Sakura. Bye Syaoran."

"Bye Tomoyo." Sakura and Syaoran replied.

"Hazuki, go and play." Sakura said as she gave Hazuki a little push.

Still in a foul mood, Hazuki stomped into the lounge.

"Stop stomping. You're a big girl, remember?" Sakura called after her.

Hazuki didn't respond. Sakura sighed heavily and then smiled apologetically to Syaoran.

"I'm sorry about this."

"It's okay."

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Sakura offered.

"Sure." He smiled, "I'd love to."

She returned his smile and then turned to head into the kitchen, "I better decide what to make, then! Why don't you sit with Hazuki for a while? She'll stop sulking soon."

Syaoran laughed, "Okay."

Humming cheerfully, Sakura bounced into the kitchen while Syaoran made his way back into the lounge room where Hazuki had decided to play with her building blocks.

He sat down with her. "What are you making?"

"A big house." She mumbled.

"Oh? Can I help?"

She nodded. That seemed to be a positive sign, at least. While she continued to pile building blocks on top of each other, Syaoran watched her mood. It reminded him of when he was a child-the way she glared at things when she was angry or upset-or the way she furrowed her brow.

"What's up?" he asked as he placed a cylinder next to what was looking like a house.

Hazuki just looked even more annoyed. Syaoran sighed softly, remembering what his older sisters would say to him.

"We can't help you if you don't tell us what's wrong." He spoke softly. After a moment of continued glaring, she spoke.

"Why couldn't I go with you and mama?" she mumbled.

Oh. Right.

"Because if you came along, then what we got you for Christmas wouldn't be a surprise anymore." He replied.

Her eyes widened with curiosity. "Really? A surprise? What kind?"

Syaoran laughed, "I can't tell you that because then it wouldn't be a surprise. You'll find out on Christmas day."

Hazuki's face brightened and all traces of her anger vanished.

Meanwhile, Sakura pulled out the ingredients to make chicken curry and tried her best to ignore the ache in her nether regions and breasts. While she was disappointed that they had been interrupted, she wasn't terribly torn up about it. They would likely have more chances in the future, she thought.

_'Alright... dinner.'_

She set herself to making dinner for the three of them while she hummed her favourite tune to herself, doing her best not to think about what her body wanted.

Dinner with the three of them was nice. Hazuki, who was in a much better mood, went on and on about her day with Tomoyo and Eriol all through the meal until she exhausted herself.

Sakura smiled, "It must be time for your bath. Why don't you go get ready?"

"Okay," Hazuki slid from her chair and left the table, leaving Sakura alone with Syaoran.

"You can stay longer, if you like...? I just need to give Hazuki her bath and put her to bed." Sakura said.

Syaoran pulled out his phone to check how many calls he had missed and grimaced. "I want to, but I need to finish up some works for the exhibit. I'm going to be pretty busy the next few days."

Sakura smiled, "I'm looking forward to seeing everything on display."

Syaoran returned her gentle smile, "Thank you, Sakura."

He stood and Sakura walked him to the door. She turned to him, hesitated for a moment, but then hugged him. He wound his arms around her waist and squeezed a little as he inhaled her scent.

"I'll see you later." He murmured.

Sakura parted and nodded, smiling as he opened the door and stepped out. "Drive safe."

He lifted his hand to acknowledge her and then climbed into his car, driving away.


	6. Small Moments

The next few days were chaos. The lead up to Christmas was always hectic for Sakura, but it was even more so for this year with Syaoran's exhibit happening as well. She spent nearly all of her time at work trying to get everything done before the holiday, meaning Akiho was looking after Hazuki until well into the night. Syaoran was facing some similar circumstances as he worked tirelessly to get everything finished for the exhibit. Needless to say, they were both running on extraordinarily little sleep and a lot of caffeine.

Tomoyo pushed open Sakura's office door and walked in holding two hot mugs of coffee. It was close to midnight, but Sakura was so close to finishing the last of her work, she opted to stay for the extra hours to finish it.

"Nearly done?" Tomoyo asked, handing her the hot mug.

Sakura thanked her as she took it. "I just finished, thankfully. You didn't have to stay, Tomoyo..."

"Nonsense," Tomoyo waves her hand, "I'm not leaving you here to work alone."

Sakura smiled, "You're too good to me, Tomoyo. Eriol isn't mad though, is he?"

"Not at all. He's been helping Syaoran out with some work for the exhibit, actually. He texted me before saying he was on his way home." Tomoyo shrugged as she sipped her coffee. "You're going tomorrow night, aren't you?"

Sakura nodded.

"You know, Syaoran's only been seeing you for like, two weeks and it already feels like the two of you have been dating for months." Tomoyo added.

Sakura was reminded of the painful ache of want that still had not left her since the other day. She crossed her legs beneath her desk and lifted her mug to her lips. When Sakura didn't say anything, Tomoyo continued.

"I'm not trying to pick on you or anything, I'm just... curious."

Sakura lowered her eyes to her mug, lost in thought. She fidgeted a little, wondering how to best phrase what she was thinking.

"Well... I can't really say the same for Syaoran, but it just doesn't feel like we're a new couple. I feel comfortable and relaxed with him, as if we have always been together..." she confessed, "But then at the same time, it does feel entirely new."

Tomoyo smiled hopelessly. "I don't think you're crazy, Sakura. Just...be careful, okay? I've watched you get hurt so much these past few years. I just want you to be happy."

Sakura returned Tomoyo's smile, "Thank you Tomoyo."

"About Christmas Day... Will you be seeing Touya?" Tomoyo dared to ask. She knew well of the broken relationship between Touya and Sakura, and she knew it broke Sakura's heart that Touya did not believe Sakura could take care of herself.

"...No, I won't." She murmured, "Dad said he was going to be away for the holiday, so it was just going to be Hazuki and I. Syaoran will be joining us, though."

Tomoyo smiled, "How does he feel about being a father?"

"I'm not sure..." Sakura confessed, "I'll have to ask him."

"When do you think you'll tell Hazuki about him?" Tomoyo asked curiously.

"I'm going to talk with Syaoran about that at some point... but it's too soon. I don't want to overwhelm Hazuki. Like you said before, we've only been together a few weeks."

"Well, just remember that if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me, okay?"

Sakura smiled at her friend, "Thanks Tomoyo."

Having finished her coffee, Sakura stood. "Now, time to head home!"

"Agreed." Tomoyo laughed.

The two women gathered their things and headed for their cars after an awfully long day of work, heading for home.

When Sakura got home, she found Akiho asleep on the couch in the lounge room with several warm blankets covering her. Being careful not to wake the sleeping woman, Sakura quietly made her way upstairs. She peered into Hazuki's room for a moment to see she was sound asleep, making her smile.

Then, Sakura headed to her own room to crawl into bed and fall asleep.

...

Having the day off was truly a blessing in disguise. Sakura was able to sleep in a little, and thanks to Akiho, breakfast was ready and waiting by the time she made it downstairs.

Akiho smiled at Sakura when she entered the kitchen. "Good morning, Sakura."

"Morning, Akiho." Sakura mumbled. She noticed there was no sign of a third plate for Hazuki. "Has Huz eaten?"

"Yeah-she's in the lounge room playing with her dolls." Akiho replied.

Sakura felt her heart warm as she realised Akiho had been waiting for her. "Thank you for breakfast-you're really sweet."

"It's my pleasure." Akiho replied with a sweet smile. "Besides, you really helped me out when I was in a horrible place. It makes me happy that I can help my friend."

"What do you have planned for Christmas?" Sakura asked as she sat down at the table. Akiho had made bacon and eggs with toast.

"I'm seeing Yuna and spending the day with him and his family." Akiho replied, "I'm looking forward to it."

"I still haven't met this friend of yours." Sakura smiled, "Are you ever going to introduce him to me?"

"Of course-he's just a really busy person. I'm sure we'll find time during the new year, though..."

Sakura laughed, "I'm just teasing. Don't stress about it."

Akiho's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment.

"I'm really happy that you found someone." Sakura added.

Akiho returned Sakura's smile once more. "Thanks, Sakura."

...

Obnoxious ringing of an alarm rang throughout the bedroom. Annoyed, Syaoran whacked the alarm clock off of his bedside table, effectively shutting off the noise. He rolled over to go back to sleep, but as he was drifting off, his phone rang.

_'For fucks sake.'_ He thought irritably as he rolled back over to grab his phone. He was beginning to lose patience with his agent.

"Hello?" he answered grumpily.

There was a short pause for a second. "Ah... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you..."

Syaoran froze as soon as he heard Sakura's voice.

"Sorry-I thought you were someone else." Syaoran apologised, feeling guilty. "What's up?"

"I'm really not bothering you?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"Of course not."

He heard her sigh with relief. "Glad to hear it. I was actually calling because I was wondering what kind of desserts you liked-normally we would have a Christmas pudding, but Hazuki is not a fan of it. She hates it, actually. Says it's fake chocolate pudding."

Syaoran burst out laughing. "Really?"

"It's true." Sakura answered with amusement.

"Well, I'm usually pretty okay with anything, but anything chocolate is pretty safe." He answered.

"Thank you," she smiled, "Um, Hazuki is nagging me, so I'll see you tonight."

"Ok, sure. See you later."

He ended the call, finding he had several missed calls from his agent. With a sigh, he dialled the number and waited for them to answer.

"You're finally awake!" His agent answered.

"What is it you wanted?" Syaoran asked.

"I was actually wondering if you could come in a little earlier tonight-there's an artist I'd really like you to meet."

"What for, exactly?"

"A jewellery company are looking for a pair of artists to help with their advertising campaign, so I thought you might be interested."

Syaoran frowned, "Isn't a visual communication designer better suited for this job?"

"The other artist in question is a professional in that field. It would be a great opportunity to explore some new territory, no?"

Syaoran thought it over for a few moments. He wasn't sure he was up to the task as he was still settling into his new home, and not to mention the news that he was a father was still sinking in.

"I don't know." He murmured.

"You don't have to decide right away."

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to meet them and think it over." Syaoran murmured.

"Great! I'll see you at five."

The call ended before Syaoran even had a chance to reply. Rolling his eyes, Syaoran sat up and looked at the time on his phone. It was close to twelve, so he had plenty of time to get what he needed done, done. Standing from his bed, Syaoran headed for the shower.

...

Sakura stepped out of the shower and grabbed her towel, drying herself off quickly before wrapping the towel around her body. She plugged in the hair drier and started drying her hair while watching the time.

"Hazuki!" she called out, "Are you ready?"

Hazuki's footsteps came down the hall and she soon appeared at the bathroom door. She was dressed in her brand-new pink and yellow dinosaur costume-she had insisted on wearing it, so Sakura had helped her put it on.

"Yes!" Hazuki beamed.

Sakura smiled, "You packed away your toys like I told you?"

"Yup!"

"Good girl."

She switched off the hair drier, unplugged it and then put it away.

"I'm just going to get dressed and then we'll go, Okay?"

"Can I help mama?" Hazuki asked.

Sakura smiled. "You can pass me my clothes."

"Okay!"

They walked out into Sakura's bedroom, where she had already laid out the clothes she was going to wear on the bed. Sakura had gotten used to Hazuki helping her get dressed, so she no longer found it awkward-besides that, it meant that Hazuki would learn what she needed to put on first when it came to dressing herself.

Sakura had decided to wear a white cashmere winter dress with matching tights, complete with her new coat which Syaoran had bought her.

On her feet she wore brown ankle boots with fur lining.

"Right," Sakura smiled, "Shall we go?"

"Yay!" Hazuki cheered, and Sakura laughed. She grabbed her bag and keys, locked the door behind her, and then they headed off.

Sakura managed to find parking close to the art centre where the exhibit was being held, so the walk to the centre didn't take too long. The exhibit was also like a Christmas function where people could enjoy finger food and drinks while they looked around, but even so, Sakura was still amazed by how many people were there. She handed the ticket to the woman over the counter, and the woman widened her eyes.

"Go straight through, ma'am."

"Thank you," Sakura smiled.

Holding Hazuki's hand, Sakura passed through the door and into the first room of the exhibit.

Sakura's eyes widened upon laying eyes on the beautiful works of art. The works around the room she was currently in seemed to be based on various mythical birds.

"They're so colourful!" Hazuki said, "like that one!"

She pointed to one painting of a rainbow bird.

"Is that one your favourite in this room?" Sakura asked.

Hazuki's face scrunched up in thought. "I dunno."

Sakura laughed, "Let's have a look at the other birds."

"Look at this one, Mummy! It's all fiery!"

Hazuki pulled on Sakura's hand as she pointed across the room.

Sakura followed her line of sight and spotted a painting of what she assumed was a Phoenix, asides from the fact it was breathing fire over a mountain of corpses. She wondered what had prompted Syaoran to paint such a piece and she smiled.

They walked from piece to piece, room to room, and Sakura could not help but be mesmerised by it all. Hazuki's favourite pieces were the ones that were most colourful, which did not surprise Sakura at all. She was a child after all.

"Mummy look! This one looks like you!"

Sakura looked around, wondering what it was that had grabbed her daughter's attention so quickly. She turned around to find that in the large hall where all of the food and drink was, a lone painting hung on a wall. It was a large piece of a woman with short auburn hair and emerald green eyes wearing a beautiful white dress whilst holding a bouquet of pink and white cherry blossoms. The colours used in the piece were gentle and calming, whilst also bringing a sense of warmth to the viewer.

"Mummy, I want it." Hazuki looked up at Sakura with pleading eyes.

"Ah, I see your daughter has a good eye."

Sakura turned around to see a man with copper hair and teal eyes smiling at her.

"My name is Sid."

"Ah... Nice to meet you." Sakura smiled.

"If you're interested in buying the piece, I'm sure I can convince Syaoran to sell it to you." Sid added.

"Convince...?" Sakura asked.

"Well yes," Sid said, "What do you say?"

"That piece is not for sale." A familiar voice sounded behind them.

"Syao!" Hazuki ran to Syaoran's legs and hugged him.

Sakura smiled.

"Oh, you know these two Syaoran?" Sid asked with surprise.

"Yes, we do." Syaoran replied, "Sid, this is Sakura-She was my source of inspiration for this picture."

Sid's eyes widened. "So, you're the woman who inspired this masterpiece. Amazing."

Sakura felt her cheeks warm.

"Surely you can sell it to her?" Sid said.

"I won't sell it to her." Syaoran frowned. "It's a gift."

Sakura looked at Syaoran with surprise. A gift?

"I told you it was personal, Sid. It was only ever meant for one person." Syaoran added.

"Maybe you can convince him to sell prints of the piece." Sid smiled at Sakura hopefully.

But Sakura shook her head. "Sometimes there are pieces of art that just aren't meant to be sold."

Sid sighed with disappointment. "Well that's disappointing."

"Have you two had a chance to have a proper look around?" Syaoran asked, trying to hide his frustration with his agent.

Sakura smiled, "Yes-everything is so beautiful. I'm in awe..."

"Syao, can you pick me up?" Hazuki said as she tugged on his hand.

Syaoran looked at Sakura, wondering if it was okay, and she nodded. Unsure at first, Syaoran hesitated for a minute before lifting the four-year-old into his arms. Sakura smiled softly at the sight while Sid looked confused.

"Have you eaten?" Syaoran asked.

"Not yet-we were too busy admiring your works." Sakura confessed.

Syaoran smiled, "Let's go, then."

Sakura followed after Syaoran and over to the tables of food and drink, where they found a few things to nibble on. Hazuki particularly enjoyed the little chocolates that were a dessert, which Sakura only allowed her three max. Thankfully, Hazuki was too distracted by the pretty pictures around the room to care.

The event came to an end at nine; Unfortunately, Syaoran was busy talking with some guests, so she had to wait before she could speak with him. Hazuki was sound asleep in her arms, tired from their busy day and night. After all, she was usually in bed by six thirty or seven, so she was up really late.

Syaoran spotted her waiting and quickly murmured something to whomever he was speaking to before making his way to her.

"Thank you for coming tonight." Syaoran smiled gratefully.

Sakura returned his smile. "I'm really glad I could come. Your artwork is even more amazing in person."

He raised his brow curiously and she blushed.

"I've been following your work ever since we first met." She confessed.

It was his turn to blush.

"Um... I was actually wondering if you'd like to come to my place for the night..." Sakura continued.

Syaoran smiled, "Sure. I'm not sure how long I'll be here, so how about I meet you there?"

Sakura nodded, "Hazuki needs to be put to bed anyway."

"I'll text you when I'm leaving." Syaoran added.

"Alright-see you soon." Sakura smiled softly, before turning to head off.

"Stay safe." Syaoran replied, watching her until she disappeared before returning to his guests.

As soon as Sakura got home, the first thing she did was tuck Hazuki into bed. Since she had time before Syaoran would be coming, Sakura decided on making herself a cup of tea to drink while sitting on the couch. She switched on the TV and flicked through the channels, but there wasn't anything interesting on. She was not surprised, though. It was Christmas Eve, so they were running Christmas movies, or anything related to the holiday on repeat. Finding nothing she wanted to watch, Sakura turned off the TV just as her phone vibrated in her pocket.

She pulled it out to find Syaoran had just sent her a text to let her know he was leaving. Smiling, she put her phone away and moved to turn the heater up. It was a cold night and she hated being cold, and Hazuki even more so. She didn't exactly want Hazuki to be crawling into her bed later, either.

Syaoran arrived shortly after and was grateful the house was warm. He hated the winter months, preferring the warmth of spring and summer instead.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" Sakura asked, "Or coffee?"

"Wine sounds nice." He smiled.

She nodded and then turned to head into the lounge. Syaoran followed her and watched as she grabbed two wine glasses from the cabinet in the corner of the room. A bottle of shiraz was waiting on the coffee table; Sakura put the glasses down and picked up the bottle to remove the cork.

"I've been waiting to drink this with someone." Sakura confessed, "I've had it sitting there for a few years now..."

"Good thing I drink red wine then." He laughed.

Sakura smiled as she poured him a glass, "That's good to know."

"Hazuki is in bed?" Syaoran then asked.

Sakura nodded. "She's completely exhausted."

"Long day?"

Sakura groaned, "More like long week. Work has been hell the past few days. I haven't been getting home until late, so having today off was a godsend."

"Your company-what's it about?" Syaoran asked as he took the glass from her.

Sakura poured herself a glass and then sat back. "We design and make jewellery. It's my mother's company-it's all I have left of her asides from a few photos."

Syaoran raised his brow, "Sid wants me to work with a graphic designer to design some promotional art for a jewellery company. It's not your company, by any chance?"

Sakura smiled, "It might be. Which company?"

"Amamiya Jewellers."

"That's my company." Sakura laughed, "I'm part of the board who's hiring, but Tomoyo knows most of what's going on if I remember correctly."

Syaoran smiled, "I'm not sure my art suits the project, to be honest. But I'll see how things go."

"I think I might have to ask Tomoyo about the project-I don't remember anything about it." Sakura blushed, embarrassed.

He laughed a little. Sakura's phone rang. She pulled it out to find it was Touya and her heart sank. But it was Christmas Eve, so the least she could do was wish him a Merry Christmas.

"Hello." Sakura answered.

"I didn't think you'd answer." Touya greeted.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Then why'd you call?"

Touya sighed heavily. "Merry Christmas."

"Thank you. Tell Yukito I wish the two of you Merry Christmas from Hazuki."

"Alright. Are you alone?" Touya asked.

"No, Syaoran is with me." Sakura answered.

"Sakura, if you'd just listen to me, you'd know that you're making a bad decision-"

"Merry Christmas Touya." Sakura hung up and then turned off her phone. "Now no one can bother me."

Syaoran looked at her with gentle concern. "Are you alright?"

Sakura gave him a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you, Syaoran."

He reached out to take her hand in his and entwined their fingers together. He was not sure why he had felt compelled to do so, but despite Sakura's convincing smile and cheerfulness, something in Syaoran's heart told him that she was not okay at all. Sakura looked at him with surprise.

"It's okay if you're not. You don't have to pretend just because you're with me." He said softly.

Sakura felt all of the tension in her body fade away as he pulled her close, holding her gaze. She smiled as her cheeks warmed. With his free hand he cupped her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss-it was gentle and sweet, lasting only for a few seconds. But it was enough to rekindle the heat they had both been feeling for each other since the other day.

"Should we head to my room...?" she asked quietly, her cheeks bright pink.

"Hmm," he murmured, "That sounds like a plan."

She blushed harder. "I just need to turn off the lights..."

Syaoran laughed softly, "Okay."

Sakura quickly got to her feet and moved to turn off the rest of the lights in the house before returning to the bottom of the stairs. She took Syaoran's hand and lead him down the hall and into her room; she turned the lamp on at her bedside before she turned shyly to Syaoran.

She was not sure why she was feeling shy. He had seen her before and had half undressed her the other day. Perhaps it was because it had been four years since they'd been together, or maybe it was because she was anxious, he might feel different about her now that she was a mother.

Syaoran gently pulled her in by the waist and she leant up to kiss him. Feeling bold, she swiped his lip with her tongue in plea for entry. He parted his lips to allow her to deepen the kiss as she invited his tongue to dance with hers as she slowly unbuttoned his hunter green shirt and pushed it from his shoulders.

He shrugged out of it, and then helped Sakura out of her dress. She quickly stripped herself of her tights, leaving her in her favourite pale pink bra and underwear.

Smiling, she took his hand and led him over to the bed where she fell back into the sheets with him nestled comfortably between her legs.

"Is this okay?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura smiled again. "I've been wanting this for the entire week."

Amusement shone in his eyes. "You too? I guess we need to fix that."

Sakura giggled.

Once more, his lips found hers in a heated passion; Sakura's fingers threaded through his hair while his roamed her body. He soon found her bra to be in the way and shifted her slightly to undo the clasp, then tossed it to the side.

Slowly, he trailed kisses down her neck and over her collar bone, nipping her pulse and leaving his mark. Using his free hand, he cupped one of her breasts and gently squeezed, massaging the small mound beneath his fingers, while he lavished attention on her other breast with his mouth.

Sakura arched her neck back and a small moan crawled up her throat as heat pooled between her legs and she felt a familiar tug in her lower abdomen.

Then, slowly, his hand travelled from her breast and down over her stomach, coming to a stop at the edge of her panties. He slid his hand in to cup her heat, then dipped a finger between her folds to rub her sensitive pearl beneath his finger.

He pushed against it, rolled his finger in a circular motion, teased and tormented her until she was begging for more. Slowly, he peeled her panties down her shaking legs and discarded them on the floor, then proceeded to remove the remainder of his clothing, too. Impatient, Sakura pulled him back over her body and claimed his lips in a fierce and passionate kiss.

"I need you," she breathed, "Please."

He smiled against her lips, "As you wish."

Carefully, he positioned himself at her entrance and gently pushed aside her walls, slowly, until he was completely sheathed inside her. He rocked his hips a little as she adjusted to his size and waited for a few seconds before setting a comfortable pace.

Sakura clutched his body close, her nails digging into his skin. She arched her neck, eliciting small breathy moans and lifted her hips to meet each thrust.

"Harder-!" she breathed.

Syaoran obliged, rolling his hips against hers harder and faster. She was soon struggling to quieten her moans and buried her face in his neck, feeling the familiar coil winding deep in her abdomen. It was tormenting; one moment it felt like she was about to plunge over the edge, but instead it ebbed away for a moment, only to return even more than before.

It wound tighter and tighter and tighter until her toes were curling in the sheets and she was seeing stars behind her eyelids. Then, the coil burst. Her muscles clamped down on his member and he came.

They both caught their breath, occasionally stealing kisses from each other. Syaoran gently shifted his body off of her so he did not crush her beneath his weight and pulled the blankets up over them. Sakura sought out the warmth of his body and snuggled into his side.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

Sakura's lips curved up into a smile. "Never better."

Syaoran smiled in amusement as he slid his arm over her waist. "Well, that's good to hear."

Sakura could feel her eyelids getting heavy as she lay there in his arms. She felt safe, loved, and protected with him, something she had never really felt with previous partners. She wondered if she had really fallen in love with him during the four years, they had been apart, or if it was just what she wanted to believe. Regardless, she didn't want to be anywhere else other than in his arms.

"Sleep well," he murmured softly, and kissed her forehead. Then, she drifted off into sleep.

...

The door creaked open, rousing Sakura from her sleep. Ignoring it, she waited to fall back to sleep.

"Mama?" A small, quiet voice sounded next to her.

"Mm... What's wrong sweetie?" Sakura asked through her haze of sleep.

"I had a bad dream." Hazuki mumbled.

Out of habit, Sakura lifted her blanket for Hazuki to climb in with her. Hazuki crawled in and over to the middle of the bed, settling between Sakura and Syaoran. Sakura gently rubbed Hazuki's back until the four-year-old fell back to sleep, and she soon followed.

Syaoran shifted, trying to find a more comfortable sleeping position, but stopped when he became aware of a third body in the bed.

Opening his eyes, he looked over and spotted Hazuki snuggled against Sakura's body. He glanced over at the clock to find it was three in the morning, so he settled back down and closed his eyes, his sleep addled brain not really processing the entire situation and fell back to sleep.

…

"Mama! Mama!"

Hazuki's excited voice sounded right next to Sakura. She roused from her sleep and spotted Hazuki next to her looking impatient.

"Morning, honey," Sakura smiled.

"Presents!" Hazuki said excitedly.

"Okay," Sakura mumbled, "Why don't you go and wait in the lounge room, hm? I won't be long."

"Kay!"

Hazuki ran out of the room and Sakura groaned. She looked at the clock to find it was eight in the morning, meaning Hazuki had either been really patient in waking her or she had only been awake for a short time.

"She's full of energy." Syaoran murmured from beside her.

Sakura rolled over to face him, and he greeted her with a smile, which she returned.

"She'll be back within the next ten minutes if we don't get up."

"I don't doubt that." He laughed. "Was she okay last night? I woke up at some point and she was curled into your side."

"She had a nightmare." Sakura replied, "I'm sorry-"

"Don't be." Syaoran smiled. "She's your daughter-Er... well, I guess I should get used to saying our daughter."

Sakura blushed. "Thank you... I was scared for a moment that you might have been a bit upset I let her crawl in between us last night, all things considered."

"I'm honestly not bothered." Syaoran replied. "Did something happen in the past...?"

Sakura fidgeted a little. "I dated someone for a while… but he didn't like that I had a daughter."

"I can assure you that I won't ever do that." Syaoran said.

"You two are so slow!" Hazuki complained at the doorway.

Sakura quickly sat up. "Okay-we're coming now, I promise!"

Hazuki groaned impatiently and disappeared from the doorway, letting the couple get up and dress themselves before making their way out. As soon as they entered the lounge room, Hazuki looked up excitedly from where she sat by the Christmas tree.

"Presents?" she asked excitedly.

Sakura laughed as she walked over to her, "Yes, you can open your presents now." She said as she pulled out one with Hazuki's name on it and handed it to her.

Syaoran sat down on the couch and watched as the four-year-old opened her presents excitedly. Bits of wrapping paper flew across the floor for Sakura to pick up later, but she didn't seem to mind.

She got a new dollhouse to go with the dolls she got for her birthday, along with some craft kits aimed for kids her age, and a bunch of stamps. She got some DVDs and some new clothes, as well as some more picture books as well.

With a bright smile, Hazuki crawled under the tree and pulled out something that appeared to have been awkwardly wrapped.

"Here mama!" Hazuki handed the gift to Sakura, who smiled.

"Thank you so much, sweetie." Sakura took the gift from Hazuki and carefully unwrapped it, finding a photo frame that had been decorated by her with some adult help, and in the frame was a photo of Hazuki.

Sakura guessed it must have been the end of year project the kids at kindergarten had been working on. Feeling touched, she pulled her daughter into a hug.

"It's beautiful."

Hazuki smiled proudly. Looking around the room for a place to put the photo, Sakura stood and walked over to the cabinet in the corner of the room and placed it on top.

"What do you think, Syaoran?" she asked.

"That's a good space," Syaoran smiled.

"Hug!"

Syaoran turned his attention to Hazuki who had climbed up onto the couch beside him, and she hugged him. He felt a little awkward despite Hazuki being his daughter. After all, he barely knew her. Hazuki pulled away before he could respond and she hopped back down onto the floor and ran over to her presents.

"Hazuki, remember to put them away if you're not playing with them." Sakura said.

"Okay."

"Now, what should we have for breakfast..." Sakura murmured as she walked towards the kitchen.

Syaoran watched as Hazuki carried her new toys over to the toy chest in the corner of the room and opened it, putting her toys inside. Once she was done, she ran towards the kitchen, so he followed behind.

…

After spending all day with Sakura and Hazuki, Syaoran returned home feeling exhausted, but in a good mood. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed the Christmas holiday-his family was large and very strict and every time the family got together, he was always asked when he would be taking over the family business or everyone was comparing themselves to each other. It was suffocating and he was glad he had left.

He placed his keys on the bench and pulled out his phone to find he had some missed calls from his sisters, the only blood relatives he talked to. They were all in a group chat on a messaging app, so they were all up to date with each other, but since he had been so busy with the exhibit and being with Sakura and Hazuki all day, he hadn't had the chance to talk to them.

He opened the app and typed a quick message apologising for missing their calls, and while waiting for a response, he moved to clean up the bench and make himself a cup of hot coffee.

A few moments later, his phone rang, alerting him of an incoming call through the messaging app.

He answered it and set his phone to rest on the bench while he moved about.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hello-What did you get up to today? Usually you never miss our calls." His sister, Feimei, responded first.

"Did you spend the day with some of your friends?" Fanren asked.

"Yeah. Well..." he trailed off, unsure how to phrase it. He was always pretty open with his sisters, but this was one matter he was not sure he should talk about just yet.

"Well?" Shiefa repeated curiously.

"I spent it with Sakura and her daughter." He decided to say.

"Sakura? Wait-isn't she the girl you met from Chiharu's and Yamazaki's wedding a few years ago?" Fuutie asked.

"Yeah."

"And she has a daughter? Where's her partner?" Fanren asked.

"She doesn't have one. She's a single parent."

"Oh gosh-being a single parent is tough." Fuutie murmured.

"Wait-you barely know her, right? How did you end up spending Christmas with her and her daughter?" Feimei asked.

Syaoran smiled as he pulled the milk out of the fridge. "It's a bit of a complicated story I don't want to get into right now. I promise I'll tell you about it, though, but I just need some time."

His sisters were quiet for some time, all four noticing that the situation was more complicated than previously thought.

"We'll hold you to that." Fanren replied. "The important thing is that you enjoyed yourself, right?"

"I did," he replied.

"And how is your unpacking going?" Shiefa asked with amusement. "I bet you've been too busy in your studio to bother."

Syaoran cringed. "Ugh."

His sisters all laughed.

Syaoran wasn't sure how long he spent talking to his sisters, but it was well over an hour. He missed them and was happy to hear their voices again, and he was content with that at least for the moment. Plugging his phone in to charge, Syaoran made his way to the shower before heading to bed, falling asleep as soon as he hit the sheets.


	7. New Years Bring New Tears

**I'm so sorry for this ridiculously late update TT_TT i even had the chapter ready to publish, but i just never found the time or energy to log on and update. I really want to say thank you to everyone who has been leaving reviews, comments, follows and favourites-you're very much appreciated!**

* * *

The sound of the alarm clock going off roused Syaoran from his sleep. He reached over and flicked it off, looking at the time. It was nine o'clock and he had told himself he would get up to go to the gym to keep himself in shape, so he forced himself from the warmth and comfort and onto his feet. Yawning, he changed into his training gear and tossed a change of clothes into his gym bag along with a water bottle, eating an apple as he went. Just before he left, he grabbed his phone to find Sid had texted him. Deciding it could wait until later, he put the phone in his gym bag and then headed off.

It was two days until New Year's Eve. There were sales on everywhere as people got in on the New Year's deals and prepared for whatever festivities they might be celebrating. Syaoran had no plans for the holiday nor did he have any interest in the sales, so he ignored them.

The gym was quiet, more than likely because of the holiday, but it didn't stop Syaoran from going through his usual workout routine. By the time he was done, he was hot and covered in sweat, so he immediately took to the showers. He welcomed the hot water on his skin and washed the sweat away, showering quickly, and once he was done, he dressed himself.

He removed his phone from his bag and checked his messages, finding one from Eriol saying he was going to drop in to see him a little later. As he had nothing else planned for the day, Syaoran didn't mind.

So, he sent a quick reply and then put his phone into his pocket, then headed for the supermarket to pick up some groceries.

Not wanting to linger for too long in the overcrowded supermarket, Syaoran grabbed a basket and headed straight for the fresh produce. He couldn't really decide what he wanted-he'd hardly been paying attention to what he had available at his place since he had been so busy and was hardly home, so he figured that just getting the stuff he really needed would do.

He grabbed a couple of pieces of fruit and a few vegetables, followed by a few other bits and pieces, including a block of chocolate.

"Mama, can I get a lollipop?" A small voice sounded nearby, catching Syaoran's attention. He knew that voice.

"Not today, honey. You have chocolate at home, remember?"

He looked over and spotted Sakura looking at the spreads. She had a shopping trolley and looked to be in the middle of collecting a few things.

"Please?" Hazuki begged.

"No."

Syaoran could already see Hazuki working herself up, about to throw a tantrum. Without really thinking, he approached the two.

"Hey," he smiled.

Sakura turned around, surprised to see him. Hazuki's face lit up, all thoughts about not being able to get a lollipop gone from her mind.

"Syao!"

Sakura smiled, "Hey-getting your shopping done too?"

"Yeah. I'm just about to head home." Syaoran said and turned his attention to Hazuki. "Drawn anything new since we last met?"

"A dinosaur!" she grinned proudly.

"I can't wait to see it." He smiled.

"I'm so sorry-I'm really pressed for time." Sakura's voice was laced with anxiety.

Syaoran shook his head. "It's fine. I'll talk to you later, then." He smiled, "Bye Hazuki. Be good for your mum."

"Bye Bye Syao." Hazuki replied.

Syaoran lifted his hand to wave as he turned and headed to the cash registers to pay for his groceries. As he stood there waiting, he wondered what Sakura had planned for the day and felt himself smile a little. It wasn't like him to think about one woman so much, but this was Sakura and she'd been on his mind for the last four years.

_'I really am in love.'_ He thought to himself.

Not long after he had walked into the door of his own home, he heard the doorbell, alerting him that Eriol had arrived. He let his best friend in and moved to make cups of hot coffee, while Eriol took a seat at the table.

"How was your Christmas holiday?" Syaoran asked as he pulled two mugs from the cupboard above his head.

"It was great. We had a really good time-Tomoyo said she'd like to go again sometime." Eriol responded, "Tt was nice to get away for a little while. The change of scenery was refreshing."

"That's good to hear. Did you get any good photos?"

Eriol smiled, "Tomoyo did. She asked me to give you a copy." He slid a USB across the table for Syaoran.

Syaoran smiled as he carried the two mugs over to the table, "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"So, how was Christmas with Sakura?" Eriol switched topic, eager to know more about what happened between the pair.

"For once, I actually enjoyed myself." Syaoran confessed. "I've always dreaded Christmas."

"That's a good sign-enjoying your time with the girls, I mean." Eriol added.

"Yeah." Syaoran murmured.

"So, have you two spoken about making it official?" Eriol then asked.

Syaoran blinked. "Make what official...?"

Eriol rolled his eyes. "You two, dating."

"Oh-we haven't spoken about it." Syaoran confessed.

Eriol raised his brow. "Wow."

"I just don't want to seem pushy." He murmured. "It... feels too sudden."

"Just don't leave it too long-she might think you're uninterested." Eriol teased him and Syaoran rolled his eyes.

"Got anything planned for New Year's Eve?" Eriol decided to ask.

"Nothing." Syaoran shrugged.

"Did you want to join us for New Year's, then? Sakura will be there too." Eriol offered.

"Sure," Syaoran shrugged, "Should I bring anything?"

"Bring a dessert or something. Tomoyo and I will focus on the meal." Eriol answered.

"Okay."

Dessert was easy enough. He enjoyed cooking and baking, so he had no issues with making anything. He just needed to decide what to make. That was the hard part.

...

After having put all of her groceries away, Sakura moved to make herself a nice hot cup of coffee. Tomoyo, who had arrived just moments earlier, was sitting in the lounge with Hazuki who was showing off her brand-new toys.

Sakura made a cup of tea for Tomoyo and carried it out to her. Tomoyo took it with a smile, then Sakura sat down with her own beverage, watching Hazuki chatter excitedly about what had happened over Christmas. Though, Sakura wasn't paying too much attention, her mind off thinking about Syaoran. She craved his presence again, and she craved him. Her mind returned to Christmas Eve, replaying the way he had touched her and held her.

"-and on Christmas Eve, I slept between mama and Syao!"

Sakura jolted back to reality. Tomoyo raised her brow and looked over at Sakura, who was now blushing a deep shade of red.

"But they weren't wearing pyjamas." Hazuki added with a look of confusion.

Tomoyo watched as Sakura's face soon turned to one of pure horror, and she burst out laughing. Sakura buried her face in her hands. She was beyond embarrassed now, but she was grateful it was Tomoyo who had heard those words and not anyone else. Hazuki looked between Sakura and Tomoyo feeling a little confused, wondering what was so funny and why her mum was hiding her face.

Once Tomoyo had herself under control, she turned back to Hazuki.

"Why were you in your mums' bed again?" Tomoyo asked.

Hazuki looked ashamed. "I had a bad dream."

Tomoyo reached out and hugged Hazuki, "What was it about?"

"A big bird pooped a giant egg on me."

Tomoyo stopped herself from laughing and so did Sakura. Instead, she gave Hazuki a little squeeze.

"Aw, I'm sorry sweetie. Next time, you poop on the bird, okay?"

Hazuki laughed, "That's silly!"

Tomoyo and Sakura laughed with her.

When they finished though, Hazuki was looking very tired which meant it was time for her nap. Sakura stood with the intention of taking Hazuki herself, but Tomoyo stood with her.

"Come on Hazuki-lets go poop on that mean bird, hm?" Tomoyo smiled.

Hazuki mumbled something incoherent as she was carried down to her room, where they put her in her bed.

"Say, Hazuki? How come you like Syaoran so much?" Tomoyo asked as she tucked her in.

"He has the same eyes as me." Hazuki mumbled.

Tomoyo smiled in response before kissing her forehead, then stood to leave the room with Sakura.

Once they were back in the lounge room, Tomoyo looked at Sakura expectantly. "Details. Now."

Sakura felt her cheeks warm. "There's not much to say..."

"As if. How did you two end up sleeping together? Again?"

"W-well... I invited him over after the exhibit." Sakura confessed. "We both sort of just...well..."

Tomoyo sighed hopelessly. "You two are obviously sexually attracted to each other, that's for sure. But maybe you two should talk about it-are you going to be an item, or not?"

Sakura fidgeted. She knew her best friend was right-and there was also Hazuki to think about, too.

"Okay, I'll talk to him." Sakura said.

Tomoyo nodded. "Good. Sakura, I just... I don't want to see you get hurt again. I know you've been regretting never contacting him after having Hazuki; this is your chance to be with him."

"But what if he doesn't feel the same way, Tomoyo?"

"You'll never know unless you talk to him." Tomoyo pointed out.

Sakura sighed. She was right, of course.

"By the way-your Christmas present from me and Eriol..." Tomoyo rummaged through her bag and removed an envelope, handing it over.

Sakura smiled and took it, opening it up to find a voucher for two adults and one child to a hot springs resort.

Sakura looked at Tomoyo, "It says two adults."

"Indeed, it does. Take someone with you." Tomoyo then added, "Don't ask me-ask him."

"Syaoran?! But-But I feel like it would be improper to ask-we barely know each other!"

"And yet you two are sleeping together." Tomoyo rolled her eyes.

"Sleeping together and going on a holiday together are two different things!"

Tomoyo gave Sakura the most unimpressed look she could muster, staring Sakura down.

Sakura sighed heavily. "O-okay..."

"Great!" Tomoyo beamed. "Let me know when you've booked the holiday so I can put it in the diary at work."

"Thanks, Tomoyo." Sakura smiled. Even though Tomoyo could be pushy at times, Sakura knew she only wanted the best for her, and she was grateful she had Tomoyo in her life.

"By the way," Tomoyo added, "If there are any nights you'd like me to look after Hazuki for a few hours, let me know." She winked.

Sakura couldn't help but laugh a little. "Thanks, Tomoyo, I'll keep that in mind."

"Good."

...

New Year's Eve couldn't arrive any sooner. The house Tomoyo and Eriol owned together was larger than Sakura's own house but had a nice warm comfortable atmosphere regardless. It was because of the atmosphere of the house that it didn't feel large, and Sakura really admired the work the couple had put into their home.

Chiharu and Rika greeted Sakura and Hazuki as soon as they walked into the kitchen, which smelt of fresh herbs and lemon.

"Hazuki, did you have a good Christmas this year?" Chiharu asked as she hugged the little girl.

"Yep!" Hazuki grinned.

"Come over here to see your Christmas present from myself and Rika."

Chiharu led her away into the lounge and Sakura followed along with Rika.

"I hope she likes her present," Rika smiled.

Sakura returned her smile, "I'm sure she'll love it."

She already knew what they had gotten Hazuki. They had checked with Sakura what would be okay to get for Hazuki, and then told her their final decision.

"Syao!"

Sakura looked up to see Syaoran sitting with Eriol and Yamazaki, laughing together over something she didn't know. Syaoran looked up as Hazuki came running over to him and hugged his legs, smiling as he greeted her. Once Hazuki had finished hugging him, she then went over to the big box Chiharu gestured to and Syaoran lifted his gaze to meet Sakura's. They both stared at each other for a moment before they were both distracted by Hazuki ripping wrapping paper.

"Sakura, would you like a glass?" Eriol asked, holding up a bottle of wine.

Sakura smiled as she walked over, "Yes please."

Eriol poured her a glass of wine and she took it from him, thanking him as she sat down on the couch.

"What is it?" Sakura heard Hazuki ask Rika.

"It's a little trampoline. You jump on it." Rika answered.

"About trampolines-" Yamazaki started, but was quickly interrupted by Chiharu.

"-Hazuki doesn't need to be confused by your stories, Takashi."

Hazuki laughed, "You're silly!"

"Care for some ice for that burn?" Eriol offered.

Yamazaki laughed, "Nah, I'm fine."

"And Sakura, here is your present from us." Rika added, walking over and handed Sakura an envelope.

Sakura smiled, "Another trip?"

Rika laughed, "No, no."

Sakura laughed with her as she opened the envelope, stopping to identify the contents. Rika and Chiharu had gotten her a voucher to get professional photos taken.

"We thought maybe you could get some photos taken of you and Hazuki," Chiharu explained.

"Thanks girls," Sakura smiled, "I appreciate it."

"Sakura, should I put these in the fridge, or can I put them out?" Tomoyo called from the kitchen.

"Ah-!" Sakura hurried out to the kitchen where Tomoyo was holding a bowl of chocolate truffles. "You can put them out now. I also made a few other things to snack on before dinner."

"Great!" Tomoyo smiled and headed into the lounge room, placing the bowl of chocolate truffles on the table.

Sakura sat back down on the couch and looked over to see Chiharu and Rika were setting up the mini trampoline for Hazuki, who was looking very excited.

"Oi Syaoran, don't you still have a present to deliver to a certain lady?" Eriol spoke loud enough that Sakura heard, and she looked over to see Syaoran looking at Eriol with a stony glare.

"Ah-we've both been so busy, and I don't want him to rush..." Sakura spoke quickly in his defence.

"Maybe you can pick it up from his place." Yamazaki suggested. "After all, we all know how you can be with your art. Sometimes you forget to eat when you're immersed in your work."

Sakura's eyes widened with worry.

"That's a tad exaggerating-"

"Exaggerating? No, he's got the right of it." Eriol interrupted him.

Syaoran looked over at Sakura who was still watching him, her big green eyes full of worry for his health. He sighed in defeat.

"Would you... like to come over sometime during the week?" he asked Sakura awkwardly.

"I have Tuesday off-is that okay?" Sakura smiled.

"Chiharu and I will look after Hazuki for the day." Yamazaki chirped.

"O-okay." Sakura blinked, and then smiled. "Thank you."

"Chiharu will pick her up at eleven."

"Alright."

"Ah-Sakura would you mind coming into the kitchen with me for a moment?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura stood, "oh, sure."

Rika and Chiharu followed.

"Aw, I wanna go too!" Hazuki complained.

"How about a piggyback ride?" Eriol offered.

Hazuki's face lit up and completely forgot about wanting to go into the kitchen in favour of climbing up on Eriol's back. While Hazuki was well and truly distracted, Yamazaki looked over at Syaoran expectantly.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Syaoran asked.

"When were you going to tell us you're Hazuki's father?" Yamazaki asked.

Syaoran raised his brow in surprise. "How could you tell?"

"It isn't hard to connect the dots." Yamazaki replied.

Syaoran sighed. "I only just found out myself."

Yamazaki was quiet for a moment, but he couldn't hide his surprise. After a few minutes he sighed. "Well, if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask."

Syaoran smiled. "Thanks."

A similar conversation was playing out in the kitchen between the women. Chiharu and Rika both looked to Sakura for an explanation, feeling hurt that Sakura hadn't told them anything.

"It's not that I didn't trust you," Sakura spoke sincerely, "I never told Tomoyo about it either."

"It's true. I guessed it, actually." Tomoyo confessed.

"I didn't tell anyone because I thought Syaoran should be the first to know...but..." Sakura fidgeted.

Rika and Chiharu looked at her sympathetically. They knew it wasn't their place to press for any further details, so they didn't. Sakura had given them the answer to their question, and she owed them nothing more.

"So, you two make a cute couple." Chiharu smiled mischievously.

Sakura's eyes widened as her face turned red. "Chiharu, wait a minute..."

"There's only one thing to do then." Rika sighed as she linked arms with Sakura.

"Wait, what are you two planning-?"

"We'll just have to help your relationship with him." The two girls said.

For a minute, Sakura dreaded where this was going, but then Rika and Chiharu laughed.

"We're messing with you. But please, don't hesitate to talk with us when you need to." Rika smiled.

Sakura relaxed, returning her friends' smiles. She felt blessed to have such supportive friends and was glad they weren't pushing her for any further details.

"How far off is dinner?" Chiharu suddenly asked.

"Hmm, another hour and a half or so?" Tomoyo answered.

"Well," Rika smiled, "Let's join the boys."

They returned to the lounge where they discovered Hazuki jumping on her brand-new mini trampoline, a big smile on her face. Sakura glanced over at Syaoran, who was laughing at some joke between himself and the other two men. She felt herself smile as she watched him, sitting back down on the couch.

"Is Naoko coming tonight?" Sakura asked Tomoyo, who shook her head.

"She's currently out of the country-She's visiting her boyfriend over in Germany."

"Oh! She did mention that, didn't she?" Sakura's face turned pink with embarrassment. "Goodness, I really need to wake up..."

"I forgot too. Don't feel bad." Chiharu laughed, "I didn't remember until I went to call her yesterday to see what she was bringing today..."

"Oops." Rika giggled.

"So, are you dreading going back to work in a few days?" Chiharu then asked Rika.

"It's not too bad, actually." Rika replied, but Sakura had completely zoned out.

Her thoughts were focused on work and all of the documents that had piled up over the past week, and it was enough to make her want to faint.

"Sakura, is everything okay?" Rika asked.

Sakura snapped back to attention and grimaced. "Sorry, the mention of work just got me thinking is all."

Tomoyo smiled gently, "Don't worry Sakura-I've sorted through the stuff that's urgent and the stuff that can be left for a little while."

"Tomoyo, I don't deserve you as my secretary." Sakura moaned and the girls laughed.

"What about you, Chiharu? When does dance start?" Tomoyo then asked.

"Not for another three weeks." She confessed. "It's going to drive me mental. I hate not doing anything."

"With someone as energetic as you, I'm not surprised." Eriol joined in.

While they all started chatting about work, Sakura turned her attention to Hazuki who was still happily bouncing away, making her smile. Syaoran stood from his seat to move closer to Sakura, and she smiled as he sat back down.

"Escaping the talk of work as well?" She joked.

"Nah. I just thought I would sit with you." He smiled.

"Thank you," she giggled, "Hazuki is really enjoying that trampoline. I don't know where I'll put it yet."

"What about outside? Actually, now that I think of it, it might be better to have inside during the winter." Syaoran mused.

"I guess it will go in the lounge room. She can pull it out when she wants to use it, and once she's done, it can be put away again. I like the idea of it being outside during summer though." Sakura added.

"That sounds like a good plan." He smiled.

They sat comfortably, chatting away casually until Tomoyo announced that dinner was ready. Even throughout dinner, everyone was alive with chatter-even Hazuki joined in on some things. The child managed to eat dessert before she fell asleep in Tomoyo's room, where Sakura let her rest until they were ready to head home late into the night.

...

…

It was a rather pleasant surprise when Sakura realised that as they were just starting the new year, there wasn't too much stress on the first day back. She spent her day reading through the agenda for the meeting she would be attending later in the week and going over a few documents that needed her approval. To sum it up: she had a decent day. That was, until she got home.

As usual, Hazuki came running up to her and hugged her legs as soon as Sakura walked through the door.

"Mummy!" Hazuki grinned up at Sakura.

Sakura smiled back, "Hey Hazuki-did you have a good day?"

"Yeah! Akiho and I went to the park!" she beamed, then furrowed her brow, "But she looks sad."

Sakura looked up as Akiho walked out wearing a strained smile.

"Akiho, what's wrong?" Sakura asked with concern.

"I have something I need to tell you." She replied.

Recognising it was a matter of importance, Sakura nodded. "Just let me put my bag away. I'll be right out."

"Thanks Sakura." Akiho smiled gratefully.

Giving Hazuki a hug, Sakura then stood to put away her bag and hang up her new coat, the one Syaoran had been so generous to buy for her. Then she headed out to the kitchen where she found Akiho had already made her a hot cup of tea. She accepted it and seated herself at the table with her. Hazuki was sitting in her usual spot at the table, happily filling her page with colour.

"I realise it's rather abrupt, but I only just found out myself..." Akiho began.

Sakura gave her a comforting smile and waited patiently for her to continue.

"I have to go to England-my parents were involved in a really serious accident... it looks like father won't make it, and I want to..." Akiho choked on her last few words. Sakura placed her hands over hers and squeezed gently, "I'm so sorry about your parents. Have you booked a flight? What can I do for you?"

"I really need to be with them," Akiho said as tears slipped down her cheeks, "I don't know how long I'll be away for. I'm leaving tomorrow."

"I understand-You don't have to worry about Hazuki; she'll be okay." Sakura smiled gently, "Is anyone going with you?"

Akiho nodded. "Yuna," she answered, "He's been really sweet and understanding about it all."

"I'm relieved... You're not alone, Akiho. If you ever need anything or just want to talk, please feel free to call me."

Akiho smiled gratefully, "You really are a wonderful friend, Sakura. Thank you so much."

Hazuki put down her crayon and picked up her picture of what looked to be her and Akiho together, and held it out to Akiho.

"For Akiho." She smiled.

Akiho wiped her tears away and accepted Hazuki's drawing, smiling. "Thank you Hazuki-I'll treasure it."

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Sakura asked softly.

Akiho shook her head. "I need to pack."

Sakura simply smiled, "Alright."

Akiho finished her drink and stood once she was feeling a little better. "I should head home, now. Thank you for your understanding-I truly appreciate it."

"Of course! Please let me know how things go. Stay safe." Sakura answered as she walked Akiho to the door.

Hazuki followed and held her hands out to Akiho for a hug, who obliged.

"Be good for your mum, Okay? And remember our promise?"

Hazuki nodded, "Yup!"

"I'll see you again in a few months." Akiho added as she stood up straight, "Take care."

"_You_ take care." Sakura smiled as she hugged Akiho.

They watched as Akiho left the front step, and once she was out of sight, they headed back inside. Sakura sighed heavily. She had no idea what to do about finding Hazuki a new babysitter on such short notice.

She didn't want to ask Chiharu or Rika if they could care for her during the day-they had their own lives and work to do. Tomoyo certainly couldn't...

It seemed she would just have to take Hazuki into work with her until she could find a new babysitter.

* * *

**Thanks for reading everyone! drop by a review (Let me know if you've spot any mistakes or anything). Feel free to ask me questions if there are something things you don't understand or have concerns about. **

**Lastly, I sincerely hope everyone is doing okay during this whole pandemic. It's been really rough for everyone. Take care of yourselves :)**


	8. Rely On Me

**Here's one I prepared earlier! lmao. I'll be putting an afterword at the end of the chapter :)**

* * *

Syaoran looked around his house, looking for anything else that needed to be cleaned or cleared before Sakura's arrival. He had moved all of his unopened boxes to the spare room and he had cleared the bench of dirty dishes. Everything was organised.

He had gone shopping the day before just in case Sakura stayed for a while. He fidgeted. He did not know what to do while he waited. Out of habit, he walked into the room he used as his studio and looked around for anything that needed cleaning or tidying. There was a canvas sitting on the easel with the beginnings of a spring background, and a jar of water with a brush soaking in it from use earlier that morning. A paint stained rag sat next to the jar and pieces of paper with notes scribbled all over covered the desk.

He walked over to the table and removed the brush from the water, setting it down on the rag to dry, and then he moved to put some of the paints back in their respective drawers.

The doorbell rang a few minutes later. He immediately left the room and made his way to the door, opening it to see Sakura standing on his doorstep. She blushed shyly and he smiled.

"Come in."

"Thank you." She replied with a small smile and accepted his invitation, stepping inside.

He closed the door behind her and then made his way to the kitchen, where he put the kettle on to boil.

"Tea?" he asked.

"Yes please." She replied, looking around at the house.

He smiled as her eyes wandered over the furniture. "Disappointed?"

Her attention snapped back to him, her expression confused and amused. "Why would I be?"

He shrugged, "It's not as nice as your house."

Sakura laughed. "I actually think it's really nice. The house I grew up in as a child is similar to this... It feels...comfortable."

She trailed off as she continued to take in the decor of the house around her. Meanwhile, Syaoran continued with making tea for the two of them.

"Chiharu picked up Hazuki this morning-they're going into the city for the day." Sakura started.

"What are they planning?" he then asked.

"I honestly have no idea." Sakura laughed. "They refused to tell me."

"Oh." He smiled and handed her a warm cup of tea. "Would you like to sit in the lounge?"

"Sure."

She followed him into the lounge. He had paintings on his walls and a photo of four women who all had the same dark hair and eyes as he did, with what appeared to be a younger version of Syaoran in the middle. The women were all laughing with him and appeared to be having a good time.

Syaoran noticed Sakura looking at the photo and smiled. "Those are my sisters."

"You look like you all get along." Sakura said with a smile.

"We do; they're all very dear to me."

"That's so great." She replied, unable to help but feel a pang of jealousy. She wished her relationship with Touya wasn't in such a mess.

"How old were you when you had this taken?"

"That was just after I finished my degree in fine arts." He answered, "I'd just gotten my first big commission, and they wanted to take a photo to commemorate it."

"That's so sweet of them. Do you still keep in touch?"

He nodded, "We have a group chat, and we call each other every few weeks or so."

"That's great! You sound really close."

Syaoran just smiled. He didn't mention that they could be frustrating to deal with at times, but he guessed that was just how all siblings were. Though, Sakura's problems with her brother seemed to be a lot more complex.

"Sakura," he spoke her name but paused for a moment, unsure why he had called to her. Something felt off about her, like she was uncomfortable.

She turned to him and smiled inquiringly. "Yes?"

"Are you uncomfortable?" he asked.

Her eyes widened, "No! Not at all-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to seem that way."

Syaoran held up his hands, "It's okay-I just noticed you seemed a bit... like something was on your mind."

She smiled awkwardly. "Am I that obvious...?"

He nodded and she sighed.

"I'm sorry. I'm your guest and I've just brought my problems to you."

He furrowed his brow. "Please don't feel that way. I want you to talk to me."

Her eyes widened upon hearing the sincerity of his words, and she felt her heart warm.

"You're very sweet." She replied as she fidgeted with her hands, pondering what to say. "Actually, Akiho's had to leave the country for an emergency family affair, so Hazuki has no caretaker."

"I'm gathering from your expression, it's for an extended period." He murmured.

Sakura nodded. "It could be months." She whispered. "I can't impose on any of the girls-they all have their lives, but I can't take Hazuki to work every day..."

Syaoran rose from his seat to cross the room to where she was sitting, and he sat down beside her as he pulled her into his arms.

"It will be alright. We can work something out." He murmured softly.

She looked up, "We...? You mean...?"

He smiled, "I am her father. I should be helping you."

A wave of relief hit Sakura as she melted into his embrace. For so long she had been raising Hazuki by herself, but now, maybe, just maybe...

"I want to be part of your lives."

Hearing his words comforted her and filled her with the familiar warmth she always felt towards him. She pulled away and met his gaze.

"I want you to be part of our lives too." She said, "I want you with me."

Syaoran smiled gently, "so, shall we make it official?"

"Us?"

"What else?" he laughed.

Sakura felt herself smile in amusement, "Just checking." She teased.

"So," he murmured, "I can call you my girlfriend now?"

Still smiling, she nodded. "Yes, you can."

Syaoran nuzzled her hair gently and kissed her temple, "What will you do until we can find a solution to our problem?" he asked gently, once again addressing the issue of Hazuki's care.

"I... guess I'll take her into work with me." She murmured.

He furrowed his brow. "What if..." he trailed off, unsure if he should continue. He was not sure if Sakura would be comfortable with his suggestion.

She perked and looked at him hopefully, waiting for him to continue. "Yes?" she prompted.

"I don't mind looking after her in Akiho's place until she returns. It's not difficult for me to move my schedule around." He offered.

Her eyes widened. "Would... would that really be okay? I don't want to impose on you, and what about your art-?"

He placed a finger against her lips, stopping her, and he smiled. "I can easily shift my hours, unlike you. Besides, it will be a good way for me to bond with Hazuki."

When he put it that way, Sakura quickly relaxed. "You're right," she smiled, "Let's give it a go."

He nodded and gave her body a little squeeze. He was not going to deny that he was feeling a little anxious about it, but he did used to babysit his nieces and nephews. He hoped that what he learned from those times would help him with looking after Hazuki, and become stepping stones to helping raise her.

Sakura finished her tea and placed the empty mug on the coffee table, as did Syaoran. A small smile wandered across Sakura's lips, gaining Syaoran's interest.

"What?" He smiled.

"I was just thinking about when we first met. You had art block, right?" she said.

"You have a good memory." Syaoran replied, "I certainly got some inspiration by coming to Japan back then."

She raised her brow. "What inspired you? The scenery? Was there something you saw?"

He chuckled. "It was you."

Sakura's cheeks turned pink. "Really?"

He nodded.

"What did you end up drawing?" She asked curiously.

He smiled mischievously. "Would you like to see?"

"I'd love to."

They stood, and he led her to his studio; he walked to the cupboard and opened it, rummaging around for a moment, and pulled out a very thick leather bound sketch book.

He walked back over and handed her the book. "These are pictures no one else has ever seen. They're for your eyes only."

Sakura took the book and curious, she opened it. Inside she found sketches of her. Some were seductive, others were warm and reminded Sakura of spring.

"How long have you been drawing me...?" she asked in awe.

"Ever since the night we met at the club." He confessed. "You're my inspiration."

Sakura smiled as she went through the book, but the pictures stopped just before the end.

"I've been lacking inspiration, recently." He said huskily, "Perhaps you can help?"

Sakura felt herself smile in response, familiar heat taking over her body as her gaze connected with his.

She took a slow step towards him. "Well, perhaps I can-in your bedroom."

Grinning, he took her hand and led her from the studio and down the hall to his bedroom. Sakura closed the door behind her before she pulled Syaoran into a long kiss. He immediately responded by sliding his arms around her waist, slipping one hand beneath her top and his other to cup the swell of her ass.

She swiped his bottom lip with her tongue in plea for entry, which he immediately granted. She slid her tongue between his lips and enticed his tongue to dance with hers, while her hands roamed his body before stopping to work on the buttons of his shirt.

She was feeling adventurous as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and tantalised him by slowly running her fingers down his chest and then over his abdomen, before undoing the buttons and zip of his jeans. Then, she slid her hand in and cupped his hardening length. A growl crawled up the back of Syaoran's throat and he broke their kiss to peel her top over her head, revealing her white lace bra. Animalistic need consumed him-the room felt too hot and their clothes were in the way. It seemed Sakura felt the same way as she pulled away to remove her jeans and underwear-Syaoran took the chance to finish undressing as well before following Sakura over the bed.

Sakura pulled him in for another kiss and wrapped her fingers around his pulsing member moving her hand slowly up and down. He kissed her harder, one of his hands on the back of her neck, while his other ventured between her legs.

He parted her nether lips and dipped a finger in to touch her sensitive pearl, rolling it beneath his finger.

She moaned at his touch and immediately felt her muscles clench; fluid coated his fingers, but he didn't stop. While he continued to tease her, Sakura started moving her hand up and down his length faster. He groaned loudly.

"Sakura-I'm about to-"

He came in her hand. Smiling, Sakura milked his length back to fullness, then gently pushed him back into the pillows.

She then slid her leg over his hips before leaning in to kiss him once more. She ached for him to be inside her, and it seemed he felt the same way as he probed at her core. She smiled and eased herself down; slowly, his member pushed aside her hot walls and a soft moan of bliss escaped her lips.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Sakura's lips curved up into a seductive smile. "Never better," she breathed.

He smiled, pleased.

Sakura started moving her hips in a circular motion as Syaoran's hands roamed her body, stopping to cup her soft, full breasts. He traced the outside of her nipple before tweaking it between his fingers, then his hands travelled down to grip her hips. He thrust his hips slightly and she cried out in ecstasy as he reached her sweet spot.

"Harder," she moaned, and he obliged.

It didn't take long for the familiar feeling of a coil winding tighter and tighter to appear in her abdomen, building and building until it was almost unbearable. Then, everything seized. She cried out his name as her muscles clamped down around his throbbing member, plunging him over the edge as he came inside her. She collapsed against his chest, breathless, while Syaoran wound his arms around her waist and nuzzled her hair.

She tilted her head and caught his lips with her own, kissing him softly. He threaded his fingers through her hair, lingering for a moment before he moved his hand down over her bare back.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"A little." She confessed.

He shifted slightly and grabbed the closest blanket, pulling it up over their bodies.

"Somehow I feel like it was planned by the others to get us together from the start." Syaoran murmured.

Sakura giggled, "Maybe. But I think we can let it slide, hm?"

"I think we can, yes." He smiled.

The sound of Sakura's phone ringing distracted the both of them. Sakura thought about moving to answer it, but she decided against it, feeling content where she was in Syaoran's arms and against his body.

"You're not going to answer that?" he asked.

"No."

"It could be important."

"If it's important, they'll ring again." She shrugged.

Syaoran laughed warmly, stopping when he heard his own phone go off. Sakura laughed but Syaoran made no effort to grab his mobile, and it soon stopped ringing. They both laughed, but then Syaoran's landline phone started ringing. Muttering under his breath, he reached over and grabbed the phone next to his bed and brought it to his ear while Sakura tried hard to contain her giggling.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Syaoran-Good, you answered." Chiharu breathed a sigh of relief, "Can you put Sakura on please?"

Syaoran immediately handed Sakura the phone, "It's Chiharu."

Surprised, Sakura took it. "Chiharu? What's so urgent?"

"I'm going to take Hazuki for the night as well." Chiharu said.

"Wait-when did you decide on this?" Sakura asked.

"Just now. I'm taking her to the museum to see the dinosaurs and we're going to spend the night in the city." Chiharu said over the sound of what Sakura guessed to be traffic or something else.

"Is she enjoying herself?" She was momentarily distracted as Syaoran ran his fingers over her skin, reigniting the heat within her abdomen.

"Yeah." Chiharu replied, "Are you okay?"

Sakura forced a moan down her throat. "I'm fine. When will you be back?"

Chiharu paused for a minute. "Tomorrow afternoon."

Sakura was trying hard not to give herself away, Syaoran realised what he had been doing and stopped, though he was unable to stop the amusement from spreading across his face.

"Alright, call me if you need anything." Sakura replied.

"Alright. See you tomorrow Sakura." Chiharu spoke cheerfully.

Sakura ended the call and handed the phone back to Syaoran who placed it back in its holder.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"Chiharu is taking Hazuki for the night." Sakura replied.

"This is definitely a ploy meant to give the two of us time alone together." He laughed.

Sakura smiled and leant in close, "Let's make the most of it, then."

Syaoran closed the gap between their lips, kissing her. As he parted, he smiled.

"Good idea."

Having spent most of their afternoon fooling around in bed, it came as no surprise to Sakura when she realised, she was starving around the time she would normally have dinner. Having heard her stomach growl, Syaoran laughed while Sakura hid her red face in her hands.

"Sounds like it must be dinner time." He said as he pulled his shirt on. Sakura, meanwhile, was wrapped in his warm forest green dressing robe.

"Do you have any requests?" he then asked.

Sakura shook her head.

"How about we order in?" he suggested.

"Sure," she smiled, "I don't mind."

"Anything you fancy?"

She shrugged, "I um... I'm actually craving Chinese." She confessed shyly.

Syaoran smiled, "Do you have any preferred places?"

"Yeah, there's a shop not far from work that does deliveries. I'll call them." She volunteered cheerfully.

"Okay. I'm going to make myself some coffee-would you like one?"

"Sure."

While Syaoran went off to the kitchen, Sakura hummed softly to herself as she brought up the menu to look through, despite knowing she was more than likely going to pick the same thing she always chose. She walked out to Syaoran who looked over.

"Did you want to look at the menu?" She asked.

"Nah. Surprise me." He replied.

Sakura smiled. "Okay."

She placed an order and then relaxed on the couch with Syaoran who started playing with her hair, braiding some of it while they waited for their dinner to arrive.

"So, do you feel inspired now?" Sakura giggled.

"Hmm," he murmured, "Very."

Sakura leant back in his arms and looked around the room, her eyes wandering over the bookshelves and then to the DVDs on the DVD rack.

"Should we watch a movie?" she suggested.

"Sure. Go ahead and pick one." Syaoran replied.

Sakura hopped up onto her feet and crossed the room to the DVD rack, looking through the various movies and TV series he owned. She hummed her favourite tune to herself as she looked, and Syaoran watched her.

His phone lit up with a message from one of his sisters, so he picked it up and unlocked the screen to answer the message.

Fanren: _You free for a call tonight?_

He typed back, feeling a little guilty since he hadn't called his sisters since finding out he was a father.

S: _Sorry, I have someone over._

Shiefa: _Is it Eriol or Takashi?_

Syaoran snorted and typed back a response.

S: _Neither._

Feimei: _It's his secret girlfriend, I'll bet._

Fuutie: :O

Feimei: _Just teasing_

S: _Well, You're not wrong._

A split second later, Syaoran was bombarded with questions from his sisters, but it was nothing he had not already predicted. Smiling, he typed back a response and sent it, then looked up to see Sakura looking over with a curious expression.

"My sisters are messaging me." He told her, "I just told them I have a girlfriend."

Sakura smiled, "What did they say?"

"Um... they're spamming me with questions." He laughed.

Sakura giggled.

"Have you decided on something?" he then asked.

She nodded, "I'm kind of interested in watching this."

Syaoran noticed the TV series she was holding. It was a popular fantasy series and the final season had recently aired on television, but he did not get to see it.

"Each episode is an hour long." He said, "You sure?"

She smiled, "The girls keep telling me to watch it, but I don't have it on DVD, and I don't want to buy something I might not like..."

"Okay-Let's watch it together, then." He stood and moved to put the first disc in the DVD player and switched on the TV.

Dinner arrived roughly half an hour later. The two of them sat on the couch eating while they watched the DVD, and once they had finished their meal, they were both content with lying on the couch together. At some point, Sakura glanced at the clock to find it was ten o'clock.

"What's up?" Syaoran asked.

"Nothing, I was just looking at the time." She replied. "It's late..."

"You can stay the night, if you want." He offered.

She looked at him, "Is that really okay?"

"Sure. Besides," he added with a slight look of mischief, "We can mess around as much as we like."

Sakura returned his playful grin, "Then perhaps we should head to bed... the disc is finished anyway."

"Sounds like a plan." He murmured as he kissed her neck, nipping her pulse and leaving a mark.

Sakura got to her feet and pulled Syaoran with her; he turned off the tv and switched off the lights on their way to his bedroom, where they once again undressed each other before moving to the bed.

...

The sound of the doorbell woke Sakura the next morning. Eyes bleary with sleep, she glanced over at the clock to see it was seven o'clock. She looked over at Syaoran who was still well and truly asleep, so she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and picked up the green robe that belonged to Syaoran, tying the belt around her waist. She walked out of the room and down to the door, peering out the frosted glass window for a minute.

She debated answering-it could be important, but it also was not her place to be answering the door of Syaoran's home.

But the doorbell kept ringing.

Not wanting Syaoran's sleep to be disturbed after the night they'd spent together, she reached out and turned the doorknob. She was met by a look of pure surprise on the face of Syaoran's agent, Sid. After an awkward minute of silence, he cleared his throat.

"Oh, err...good morning, ma'am. Is Li awake?"

"No, he's still asleep right now. Can I give him a message?" she answered.

"I wanted to let him know that there's someone interested in buying that painting of his-the one he refuses to sell."

Sakura frowned. "Why are you so hell bent on getting that painting sold?"

"Well you see, the person who wishes to buy it has offered quite a hefty sum, and I honestly think it should be seriously considered." Sid explained.

Sakura eyed him with distaste. "Let me guess," she murmured, "You're getting pressure from above because the person offering that large sum of money is likely to be highly influential in some manner."

His eyes widened in surprise, and she continued.

"I know how to spot these things. I myself run and own my own business-I know how the hierarchy works, and I know that for you, getting Syaoran to sell that painting is just a good business deal. I can't believe you'd try and take advantage of him like that-it's disgusting." She spat, and then slammed the door in Sid's face.

She froze when she heard Syaoran burst into laughter behind her. Sakura turned slowly, finding he was leaning against the wall behind her in nothing but a pair of pants. His hair was a mess and she guessed that her own hair was much worse.

"I'm so sorry-I just blurted out what I was feeling without even thinking, I-"

He stopped her as he pulled her into a hug and planted a kiss on her temple.

"I appreciate what you did. You said what I couldn't..." he spoke softly.

Sakura hugged him back. They stood in each other's arms for a few moments until Syaoran parted from her still wearing a smile.

"Let's get dressed-you need to go back to your place to get ready for work, right? I can come along with you and put the painting up for you." He suggested, "I'll ring Sid later."

Sakura returned his smile, though she still felt and looked a bit guilty for having gone off at his agent in such a way.

"Okay." She agreed.

It did not take long for them to get ready to leave Syaoran's place. Sakura's own home was roughly a fifteen-minute drive away, but peak hour traffic added on another five or ten minutes. Once they were inside, Sakura ran up the stairs to quickly shower and get ready for work, while she let Syaoran hang up the painting he had promised to her.

Once she was freshly showered and appropriately dressed, Sakura made her way down the stairs to find Syaoran standing in the lounge room. He had already finished hanging up the masterpiece, and she smiled upon seeing it sitting just above the TV.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"It was no trouble." He replied.

"I texted Tomoyo earlier to let her know I would be a little late, so I'm going to make myself a cup of tea. Would you like a hot drink?" She offered.

"Sure." Syaoran replied.

Sakura turned and headed to the kitchen, filled up the kettle and waited for it to boil. As she moved about, she spotted the tickets for the hot spring and remembered Tomoyo's words. She looked over at Syaoran who was typing a message on his phone. He looked up as he caught her staring.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Um..." she wondered if it was okay to ask him along. Was it too soon? Would he even be interested? Oh, to hell with it, she thought.

"Tomoyo gave me some tickets to go to the hot springs-there's one for myself and Hazuki, and a spare... would you be interested in coming along...?" she felt her cheeks burn as she blushed madly.

Syaoran looked a bit surprised. He had not been expecting that.

"You don't have to answer now, of course-you can take time to think-"

"I'll go with you." He answered. "It will be nice to go somewhere."

He smiled at her and she relaxed as her face brightened.

"Really? That's great! I need to book a date, though, so I'll have to ask Tomoyo about when I'm free... sorry, I didn't mean to ramble." She apologised.

He laughed. "It's okay. Let me know what dates are available and we can work something out."

Sakura nodded and finished making their drinks. "Alright."

Syaoran took his coffee and thanked her.

"I'll talk to Hazuki tonight about you taking care of her." Sakura added, "And I'll talk to the kindergarten as well."

Syaoran smiled, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Not right now-If anything comes up, I'll let you know." Sakura answered as she moved around, making herself lunch for work and occasionally stopping to drink her tea.

By the time she was finished getting ready, Syaoran had finished his drink.

"I have to go," Sakura said regretfully.

"I need to head home anyway." He laughed.

They made their way to the door and he turned to face her, pulling her in for a hug.

"Have a good day." He said as he pulled away.

She smiled, "You too. Stay safe."

Syaoran headed over to his car. Sakura watched as he got in and drove away, then locked the door behind her before getting into her own car to head to work.

...

Whilst walking into the building, Sakura couldn't help but hear the gossip that seemed to be centred around her and her new relationship. She hated gossip. It always got out of hand at some point and lies would be spun out of control. Employees stared at her, whispering to each other as she passed them. It was almost a relief when she stepped into the elevator and whacked the up button, or it would have been of the two male employees behind her weren't whispering to each other about her.

"I can hear you." She sighed.

Both embarrassed, they immediately stopped. She was relieved when she finally got to her office. Tomoyo looked up from her computer and smiled.

"It's not like you to be late. Is everything okay?" she asked.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, everything is fine. I'm sorry I worried you."

"It's alright... You've heard the gossip, right?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Yeah. I'm just going to ignore it."

"Will you tell me about your day with Syaoran during lunch?" Tomoyo then asked.

Sakura felt herself smile. "Count on it."

...

By the time he had finished cleaning, the kitchen was spotless. He had cleaned pretty much everything and it was oddly satisfying seeing the fruits of his labour.

His phone buzzed, alerting him he had a message. He pulled it out of his pocket to find it was Fanren, so he opened it up to answer.

Fanren: _Is everyone free for a call later? I have news I want to share!_

S: _Sure, just let me know what time. Sakura will probably call me later tonight because we have a few things to sort out._

Shiefa: _I'll put some time aside for you guys_

Feimei: _Syaoran, you better tell us all about this Sakura of yours._

Syaoran frowned.

S: _No, Fanren is more important._

Fanren: _Oh hun, you're not getting out of this. You're telling us everything._

Syaoran groaned.

S: _Okay, whatever._

Fuutie: _I'm free now if you want to do a call?_

Within the next few moments, his other three sisters had all agreed, so he gave in with a sigh.

S: _Sure_

Seconds later, a call came through and he answered.

"What's the news?" he asked before they could bombard him with questions.

"No way, little brother. Tell us about Sakura." Fanren retorted.

He groaned. "Can't we just focus on you?"

Fuutie laughed, "He's still such a sweet boy."

Feimei sighed sadly, "We miss you, little brother."

"Okay, Okay." He sighed. "Sakura and I made it official."

As he expected, they all squealed with delight.

"Oh, we simply MUST meet this girl!" Fanren declared.

"Absolutely! She must be a real sweetheart to capture his heart!" Shiefa agreed.

"That settles it," Feimei said, "We're coming to Japan!"

Syaoran froze. "What!?" he shouted.

"Don't worry-not straight away." Fuutie laughed, "Say... next month?"

Syaoran groaned. Once his sisters had made up their minds about something, nothing could make them change it. So, he resigned himself to having them visit.

"Okay."

"Anyway, what's the news?" Feimei asked.

Syaoran was certain he could hear Fanren busting with excitement.

"I'm pregnant!"

Loud cheers and congratulations sounded.

"That's such great news, Fanren! I'm so happy for you." Syaoran smiled, knowing how much his sister had wanted a baby.

"I've been waiting a while to tell you guys-I've been wanting to tell you ever since I found out." Fanren confessed, "We just passed the twelve week mark."

"_Please _tell me you're having a baby shower!" Fuutie begged.

"Of course-I'm planning to have it in the next few months." Fanren replied.

"Syaoran, do you think you'll be able to make it?" Shiefa asked.

Syaoran hesitated for a moment. It would mean going back home, which also meant having to deal with his parents. But this was something that meant the world to his sister, and he did not want to be selfish.

"I'll try." He replied, "I promise."

"If you can't, we'll understand. After all, plane tickets aren't cheap." Fanren said gently, but Syaoran knew that what she really meant was that she would understand if he didn't want to face his parents.

"Thanks, Fanren." He replied gratefully.

...

Sakura looked up as Tomoyo entered her office with a hot cup of tea for her, setting it on the coaster next to Sakura's keyboard.

She smiled at her best friend and secretary, "Thanks Tomoyo."

"No problem," Tomoyo returned her smile, "I was going to hop out for my break...did you want me to pick Hazuki up for you?"

Sakura felt guilty having to ask so much of her friend. "If you wouldn't mind..."

"It's really no trouble, Sakura. I'm more than happy to help." Tomoyo said gently.

But Sakura shook her head. "It's not fair for me to always rely on you for everything."

Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "We're practically sisters. I want you to rely on me to help you in times of need-like now."

Sakura smiled a little. She really wanted to show Tomoyo how much she appreciated her but wasn't sure how. She decided she would have to think of something.

"I don't deserve such a caring best friend." She said.

Tomoyo hugged her, "Yes you do. Have you figured out what to do for Hazuki since Akiho's not here?"

"Actually... Syaoran has offered to look after her."

Tomoyo raised her brow. "Really? Have you talked to Hazuki about it?"

"Not yet. I plan to do that tonight." Sakura replied, "I just hope it's not too much for Syaoran."

Tomoyo smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure he'll be alright. I've heard from Eriol that Syaoran used to look after his nieces and nephews fairly often back in Hong Kong."

Sakura's eyes widened in interest. "Why were you and Eriol talking about him?"

She giggled, "We were talking about how Syaoran is Hazuki's father and we didn't see it. Eventually it evolved into Eriol talking about how Syaoran is usually rather good with kids because he would babysit for his sisters."

"I see... That will certainly help him with Hazuki, then. I'm glad."

"Anyway, I better go now. I'll be back soon." Tomoyo said as she checked her watch.

Sakura nodded, "See you soon. Stay safe out there."

Tomoyo left the office and Sakura leant back in her chair, running her fingers through her hair. She really hoped Hazuki would not be opposed to the idea of Syaoran looking after her in Akiho's place. She seemed pretty fond of Syaoran, so there was hope. But regardless, she knew that it would take Hazuki some time to get used to the change in her life.

The sound of the phone ringing brought her attention straight back to her work. She answered the phone.

"This is Sakura Kinomoto from Amamiya Jewels speaking, how may I help you?"

She picked up a pen, getting ready to scribble notes.

The conversation wasn't long-it was a call from one of the company design studios to double check with her directly what the design requirements were. Apparently there had been some issues with communication somewhere along the line. With a sigh, she went back to her own design work while she waited for Tomoyo to return.

...

With work finished for the day, Sakura packed up her things and left her office, finding Hazuki playing with some toys from the toy box near Tomoyo. Tomoyo looked up from what she was working on and smiled.

"Ready to head home?"

Sakura nodded, "I should get Hazuki home so I can make her dinner."

Hazuki looked up and smiled widely. "Mummy!"

Sakura grinned, "Hey sweetie. Thank you for being so patient while I was working."

Hazuki grinned up at Sakura, looking proud of herself.

"Grab your bag so we can go home," Sakura told her.

"Okay!"

Hazuki grabbed her bag from where it was sitting by the toy box and hurried back to Sakura's side, taking her hand.

"See you tomorrow." Sakura smiled at Tomoyo.

"Bye bye!" Hazuki added.

Tomoyo grinned, "Bye girls, be safe!" she waved as they left the office.

Sakura held onto Hazuki's hand all the way down to the car; Hazuki was humming some made up tune, stopping only when Sakura helped her with her seatbelt in the car.

"Mummy," she said, "When is Akiho coming back?"

Sakura smiled sadly. "I don't know. I'm sorry."

Hazuki's eyes fell. "Oh."

"Hey-would you like to go out for ice cream after dinner?" Sakura asked quickly.

Hazuki's face immediately lit up. "Really?"

"It's a treat." Sakura smiled.

Hazuki shouted with glee as Sakura got into the driver's seat and started the car, glancing at her as she wondered how to talk with her about Syaoran.

"Alright... home time."

Once they had eaten dinner and cleaned the dishes together, Sakura kept her promise and took Hazuki to the ice cream parlour. Hazuki had already decided what ice cream she wanted-the same as she always got-chocolate. Sakura decided on strawberry, her favourite flavour.

They sat down at one of the tables to eat their treat; Hazuki was swinging her legs happily under the table while Sakura watched her gently with a smile.

"Hey Hazuki," she said, "What do you think of Syaoran?"

Hazuki hummed. "He's really nice, and he looks like me, and he's fun!"

Sakura giggled. "What makes you like him more than anyone else I've introduced you to?"

"Because you're really happy!" Hazuki replied.

"O-oh," Sakura stammered, caught by surprise.

"Mama," Hazuki said, "Is he going to be my new dad?"

"W-well...Actually... he's offered to be your new babysitter." Sakura told her, "Would you be okay with that?"

The child's eyes lit up, "Really? I'll get to see him every day?"

"Yes,"

"Yay!" Hazuki cheered.

Sakura smiled with relief. She still didn't know when to tell Hazuki about Syaoran being her real father-that was something to be discussed with Syaoran-but she was relieved that Hazuki didn't reject him. That, at least, was a good sign.

Hazuki finished off her ice cream cone, but not without getting it all around her mouth first. Sakura picked up a napkin from the napkin dispenser on the table and wiped her mouth, cleaning her face.

"Did you enjoy that?" Sakura asked with amusement.

Hazuki smiled sheepishly.

"Once I'm finished, we'll head straight home, okay?"

"Okay!" Hazuki beamed.

Sakura smiled lovingly at her daughter for a moment before returning to finishing her own ice cream cone so that they could head home.

...

Upon returning home, Sakura received a phone call from Syaoran. She raised her brow in complete surprise when Syaoran told her about his sisters plans to visit during the upcoming month-it was totally unexpected, but from the way he talked about his sisters, nothing was expected. Hazuki was busy playing with some of her toys on the floor while Sakura had the TV on in the background.

"I'm sorry it's so sudden." He apologised, "They're very impulsive and won't change their minds once they're set on something."

Sakura's lips curled up into a smile. "Don't worry about it. I'm looking forward to meeting them."

Syaoran breathed a sigh of relief.

"I told Tomoyo about yesterday," Sakura added, "I hope you don't mind... I don't like keeping things from her."

"Wait, which part of yesterday?" he asked slowly.

Sakura laughed. "About how we're officially a couple."

"Ah-right." He cleared his throat. "I don't mind."

"Um...have you spoken to Sid?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. He seemed pretty apologetic-seems like your lecture hit him hard." Syaoran replied.

"I don't regret what I said, but I've been worried about if I messed things up between you and him." Sakura confessed.

"Don't worry. We had a bit of a chat about what happened. He admitted it was exactly as you had said, and he was ashamed of his actions. I'll give him another chance." Syaoran replied gently.

"Oh, good." She sighed with relief. "I'm sorry we couldn't pick up Hazuki together today."

"Don't worry about it. How did your talk with Hazuki go?" He then asked.

Sakura smiled. "She seems pretty excited that you'll be the one looking after her in Akiho's place."

"That's a relief," he laughed.

"Yeah, I have to admit I was a little worried." She confessed.

"Because she doesn't know me that well?" He asked.

"Well, that, and she absolutely loves Akiho."

"Ah. Yeah, I can see where you're coming from."

"Do you think you'll be alright looking after her? I mean, if you need any help, I can always see if Chiharu or Rika can stop by every now and then..."

"I'm sure I'll be fine. I used to look after my nieces and nephews regularly, since I was the only one that was really around." Syaoran replied.

"I know, but..." Sakura sighed, "I'm just worried for the both of you."

"If it helps to ease your anxiety, I don't mind having one of the girls pop in every now and then." Syaoran said.

Sakura smiled as she looked over at Hazuki. "I trust you," she said, "But please ask me anything if you're not sure about something."

"I will. I'll probably need to know what she eats and what I shouldn't give her or let her do, as well as when she needs a nap."

"I can write a list, if that would help?"

"Yeah I'd really appreciate that."

Sakura smiled, "Alright. I should probably put Hazuki to bed now; I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

Syaoran smiled. "Sure. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Syaoran." Sakura replied.

She ended the call and sighed softly before looking up. "Hazuki, time for bed."

Hazuki pouted. "Aww, can't I stay up a little longer?"

Sakura shook her head. "No,"

Hazuki huffed and got to her feet, heading down to her bedroom with Sakura close behind.

"Can we read a story?" Hazuki asked as Sakura helped her change into her pyjamas.

"Sure, which one?"

"The one Naoko gave me!" she grinned.

Sakura smiled, "You really love that book, don't you?"

"Because it has dinosaurs!" Hazuki chirped.

Sakura giggled, "Alright. Where is it?"

"Over here!"

Having finished getting changed, Hazuki ran to her bookshelves and pulled out the book she had gotten from Naoko, then ran over to her bed and climbed up beside Sakura. She handed over the book, and Sakura opened to the first page.

As soon as Hazuki fell asleep, Sakura left the room quietly, switching off the light and closing the door. She made her way into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea, then sat down in the lounge room with her drink. The TV was still going, but there was nothing interesting on-not that Sakura was paying attention to it.

Her mind was elsewhere. She thought about her dad and how she missed him. It had been a while since they'd last spoken, but she didn't want to bother him unnecessarily.

_'I should call him.'_

She reached for her phone and dialled his number, waiting patiently for him to pick up.

"Hello?" Fujitaka answered.

"Hi dad... It's me." Sakura spoke, a tight knot in her chest.

"Sakura! How are you doing?" he asked her, happy that she had called.

"Things have been a bit hectic with work and all," Sakura replied, "But I'm doing okay."

Her father was quiet for a moment, as if he were thinking. But then he spoke.

"I see-take it easy, alright? Be careful not to overwork yourself-Hazuki still needs her mother." He said.

Sakura laughed, "I promise I'm taking care of myself."

"I'm glad to hear it," he replied warmly, "What have you been up to lately? I'm so sorry I couldn't make it for Hazuki's birthday."

She smiled. "Don't worry about it-it was really important, right? Besides, I'm sure we'll be able to figure out a time to come and visit."

Fujitaka chuckled. "Thank you, dear."

"How have things been with you?" Sakura asked him as she gathered a pen and paper in preparation for writing down instructions for Syaoran.

"Oh...not too bad. Yukito and Touya visited today. It was good to catch up with them, though I hear you've had a few run ins with Touya recently."

Sakura rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Yeah, we have."

"May I ask what happened...?" Fujitaka asked.

"Well, he showed up at my place while I had my boyfriend over, and before even trying to get to know him, he decided to lecture me about how once again, I'd made the wrong choice." Sakura replied flatly.

Fujitaka sighed heavily. "I see."

"Listen, dad, can we not talk about Touya?" She asked.

"Alright. Tell me about this new man in your life."

Sakura smiled. "Okay."

* * *

**Well, that's the chapter lmao. It's more of a "I'm sorry it took me so long to update, so here's another chapter" update. **

**I really want to say thank you to those who left me a review or comment on the last chapter haha-i was reading them and couldn't help but be amused because it was like you'd predicted what was gunna happen lmao.**

**Once again, take care everyone! I wish you all the best in these hard times.**


	9. Read Me A Story

**Hello again! Thank you again for the comments and reviews. I've already got quite a lot of the story written on my phone, but at the moment i'm currently bridging a gap between two different parts TT_TT hence why i'm being slow at uploading. I just finished this last night! Hopefully it won't be too long before I finish the next chapter, too.**

**I'm really excited to write about a lot of the moments Syaoran and Hazuki share haha, so I hope you'll like them too!**

* * *

It was midnight by the time Sakura had finished writing down all of the instructions for Syaoran that she could think of. Her phone call with her father had gone on for a little over an hour as she told him a lot about Syaoran, so she had ended up being up later than planned. She read through everything she had written but couldn't think of anything that needed to be added.

Satisfied, she stood and carried the papers out into the kitchen and placed them on the bench. She intended to give them to Syaoran on the upcoming Thursday, when they would be picking Hazuki up together as planned, provided nothing came up. Then, after turning off all of the lights in the house, she made her way down the hall to her bedroom.

...

...

Syaoran glanced at his watch, wondering if Sakura had gotten caught up in something and that was why she was late. She hadn't called to say that she couldn't make it, so he assumed they were still picking Hazuki up together.

He'd been working on a few commissions, so his hands had traces of paint on them, and as usual a pencil was stuck behind his ear. He pulled out his phone to check to see if he had missed any messages just as his doorbell rang. He got up and opened the front door to see a frazzled Sakura.

"I'm _so_ sorry I'm late-I called the kindergarten to say I'd be a few minutes later than normal, so they know we're coming," she breathed.

"It's okay," he said as he stepped out of the house and pulled his door shut before locking it. "Did something happen?"

"There was a massive traffic jam due to a car accident," Sakura replied as they both climbed into her car.

"That would do the trick." He sighed.

"Hopefully Hazuki isn't going too crazy," Sakura grimaced. Syaoran laughed.

"How was your day?" she then asked.

Syaoran shrugged, "It's been pretty ordinary."

"So, you were just doing commission work?" she asked.

"Yeah. I have a lot I need to do, and some of them have a rush order, so I need to prioritise them over the rest." Syaoran explained with a hint of disdain.

"Honestly, that sounds stressful." Sakura cringed.

"Yes and no. The stressful part is the repeated emails from clients asking where their commissions are despite me having given them an estimated date." He rolled his eyes.

"Boy, do I know that feeling." Sakura muttered.

"I didn't realise that you did your own commission work outside of running your company." Syaoran admitted.

"Oh-yeah, I take care of the commission work, while our other artists and jewellers collaborate together following the guidelines I set for a new line-up of products each season." Sakura explained. "I also make the final decisions on product designs."

"That's insane." Syaoran replied.

Sakura laughed, "Yeah, I suppose it is. The worst part is when you only get two days' notice that someone wants their designs ready and you end up doing two all nighters just to get it done on time."

Syaoran's eyes widened. "Wow. If that happened to me, I'd be telling them to piss off."

She snorted, "Unfortunately I couldn't... the company's reputation would have taken a huge blow."

"Were they that influential?" he asked with surprise.

"Yeah, unfortunately. Otherwise I would have told them to find someone else to do it. Well, I tried at first, but they insisted that it absolutely had to be my work." She sighed. Syaoran cringed.

Sakura pulled into the car park outside the kindergarten and parked the car; the two of them got out of the car and made their way inside. Mrs Suzumi spotted them and smiled as they walked into the room, where Hazuki was busy painting a picture. She looked up and spotted the pair, her face lighting up.

"Mummy! Syao!"

"Hi honey," Sakura smiled, "I'm so sorry I'm late."

"Was everything alright?" Mrs Suzumi asked, knowing it was unlike Sakura to be late when she was picking up Hazuki.

"There was a traffic accident, so I got held up in the traffic." Sakura replied. "What did you get up to today, Hazuki?"

Hazuki lifted her page to show Sakura her painting of what looked like a landscape. It had green grass and a hill with a blue sky and a rainbow. She had even painted flowers.

"That looks great, Hazuki. Is that a flower field and a rainbow?" Sakura asked.

"Yep!" Hazuki beamed.

Sakura smiled, "What do you think, Syaoran?"

"It's very pretty." He smiled. For her age, Hazuki was quite skilled-he knew that if she were to continue on with her passion for art, she would be an amazing artist.

"I'll keep that here to dry and you can take it home with you on Tuesday." Mrs Suzumi smiled.

"Okay!" Hazuki chirped.

Sakura rummaged through her bag, "I filled out those forms that say that Syaoran can pick her up as a legal guardian." She said, pulling the form out of her bag and handing it over.

"No problem. Thank you." The teacher replied as she took it. "I guess I'll be seeing you on Tuesday." She added, looking at Syaoran.

"Yes," Sakura replied with a smile, "Alright, shall we head home?"

"Okay!"

"See you guys again soon." Mrs Suzumi smiled as the three of them turned to leave, and they headed out the door.

Once in the car, Sakura turned on the engine and started the drive back to Syaoran's. When they arrived, Syaoran glanced at Sakura.

"Would you two like to come in?" he asked.

She smiled, spotting Hazuki's eager expression. "Judging by the hopeful look on Hazuki's face, I think that's a yes."

Syaoran laughed. The three of them got out of the car and headed inside and out of the cold. Syaoran made Hazuki a hot chocolate and turned on the cartoons for her, while Sakura had a hot cup of tea with him in the kitchen.

"Can I see some of your new work?" Sakura asked Syaoran as she placed her cup of tea on the coaster.

"Sure," he smiled, standing to lead her to his studio.

She followed behind and into the room he used as his studio. As usual, there were canvases propped up against one wall, drying, and on his desk sat an easel with another canvas. It had the beginnings of an autumn background, making Sakura wonder what the full piece was going to be.

"These are all commissions I've been working on lately." Syaoran said, "I'm trying to get through as much as I can before starting on the project for your company."

"These are all beautiful," Sakura murmured as she admired the beautiful paintings. "Is this supposed to be someone's dog?"

"Yeah, this client wanted a painting of their daughter's dog done as a birthday gift, if I remember correctly. The one on the right next to it is a painting of another client's late family member."

"It looks like the one with the two swans is done with a different medium." Sakura pointed out.

Syaoran smiled, "Yeah, it's pastel."

"How long do these usually take you...?" Sakura asked.

Syaoran hummed. "Depends. The smaller sizes can range anywhere between 2-4 hours. The others take far longer. It also depends on the medium I'm using as well-my primary medium is oil paint so I'm usually a bit faster with those commissions."

"Do you use coloured pencils much?" Sakura asked curiously as she looked around the room.

"I do-I suppose I haven't shown you much of the work I do with pencil, have I?" Syaoran smiled.

"Maybe you should show some to Hazuki as well." Sakura suggested, "She really likes your work-especially the fantasy-based stuff."

"She does?"

Sakura nodded. "They were some of her favourites at your exhibit."

"I'll see if I can find one of my folders with my pencil work, then. Did you want to wait in the lounge with Hazuki?" Syaoran suggested with a smile.

"Sure,"

Sakura left Syaoran to find his folders, while she went into the lounge room where Hazuki was watching the end of her favourite show.

"Enjoying your show?" Sakura asked her as she sat on the couch next to her.

Hazuki nodded happily, making Sakura smile. By the time Syaoran had found his folders, Hazuki's TV show had finished, which was perfect timing.

"What are those?" Hazuki asked Syaoran as he walked around the coffee table to sit on her other side.

"These are all drawings I have done with pencils." Syaoran replied, opening up to the first page. It was a picture of a flaming Phoenix.

"Wow!" Hazuki gasped in awe.

"When did you draw this?" Sakura asked curiously.

"These are all drawings I did back when I was in University." Syaoran explained. "So about eight or nine years ago."

"What's next?" Hazuki asked excitedly.

Syaoran turned the page to a sketch of some koi fish that he had done in grey lead. The page after that featured a pair of blue birds, and after that was a fantasy-like forest. Hazuki loved the vibrant colours in all of the pictures, as well as the imagery. Sakura wasn't surprised, since she had always liked vibrant colours.

Syaoran explained a little about each picture as they made their way through the folder, and by the time they were finished, it was quite late. Hazuki's stomach growled and she blushed.

Sakura smiled, "It is late, isn't it?"

"Would you like to have dinner here?" Syaoran suggested, "I can cook."

"What do you think, Hazuki? Do you want to stay for dinner?" Sakura asked her.

Hazuki nodded.

"Alright, I'll see what I can put together." Syaoran smiled as he stood, placing his folder on the coffee table before heading into the kitchen.

Dinner ended up being simple, but pleasant. Sakura usually struggled with fried rice-she never knew what she had been doing wrong, but she just couldn't get it right. Syaoran, however, may as well have been a master-at least, in Sakura's eyes.

"How is it?" Syaoran asked, wondering if the girls liked it.

"It's delicious," Sakura replied, "I think Hazuki likes it too."

"Well I'm glad to hear it." Syaoran smiled.

Sakura turned her attention to Hazuki, who was enjoying her meal.

"Hazuki, starting from next week, Syaoran will be taking you to and from kindergarten, and looking after you while I'm at work." She told her gently.

Hazuki's eyes grew wide. "Really? Like Akiho?"

Sakura nodded.

"Yay!"

Sakura looked at Syaoran with a smile, which he returned. He did not deny that he had his own insecurities about looking after her, let alone his insecurities about being a father, but from what he knew, those feelings were normal for any parent.

"Oh, that reminds me..." Sakura stood and grabbed her handbag and pulled out the notes and instructions she had written for him.

"These are for you."

Syaoran took the sheets of paper and glanced them over briefly before setting them to the side.

"Thanks Sakura, I'll have a thorough read later." Syaoran smiled.

"What's that?" Hazuki asked, referring to the pages Sakura had just given Syaoran.

"It's just something for me to read." Syaoran replied.

"Oh, okay." She shrugged.

Once they'd all finished eating their meal, Syaoran could tell that Sakura wanted to ask him something but was unable to with Hazuki being in the room.

"Hey Hazuki, do you want to draw in the lounge room for a while?" Syaoran asked.

Her eyes lit up, "Yeah!"

"Alright, I'll find you some pencils and paper."

He stood and headed off to find what he had that Hazuki could use, finding a few pieces of photocopy paper and some coloured pencils he no longer used anymore.

Hazuki was already waiting at the coffee table in the lounge, and she smiled brightly as he handed her the paper and pencils.

"Thank you!" she beamed.

"You're welcome." Syaoran smiled back, "I'll be in the kitchen with your mum, okay?"

She nodded, already busy drawing away.

Smiling, Syaoran returned to the kitchen and gathered their plates to put in the sink, then sat back down.

"What's up?" he asked, receiving a look of surprise.

"Ah... Sorry, I don't mean to intrude." She apologised.

"You're not intruding." He replied softly.

She relaxed as she heard his words, feeling a little better. "Actually... I was wondering how you were doing. I know this whole ordeal must be stressful for you, and you just had your exhibit recently, so I wanted to make sure..."

It was Syaoran's turn to look surprised, but then his features softened again.

"Thank you for worrying about me. Honestly, I still haven't completely processed that I'm her father, and I can't help but wonder if I'm good enough. I only know how to care for kids who aren't mine-my nieces and nephews." He confessed, surprised at how much had come out of his own mouth.

Sakura smiled comfortingly. "I understand. But I think you're being a little hard on yourself-you are good enough." She said gently, "To be honest... I always question myself. I always wonder if I'm doing the right thing, or if I'm going about it the wrong way. But you're not alone-we can figure things out together."

He smiled. It was comforting hearing that from her. "Thank you."

"Take what you know about caring for your nieces and nephews and apply it to caring for Hazuki. I don't know if it's easier caring for a child that isn't yours, but you don't have to worry about upsetting their parents when it comes to Hazuki. I'm sure we'll have arguments, but that's part of being a family."

Syaoran's eyes widened slightly. Being a family... He had a say in how they should raise Hazuki. It would take time, but he was sure that with Sakura's support, he could get used to everything and settle down. He knew it was going to be hard, but he also knew he could get through it.

And he would.

"Thank you." He replied gratefully.

...

...

Kindergarten finished at two. Syaoran had been keeping an eye on the clock as he worked, knowing that he could get absorbed in what he was doing and forget about what time it was, but he couldn't afford to do that when it came to caring for Hazuki. He wasn't sure how he was going to juggle his work with looking after her, but he knew he would figure it out somehow. With that thought came the realisation that he hadn't bought anything that she might eat, and he groaned.

_'Guess I'll need to drop into the shops...'_ he thought to himself.

He picked up his phone and sent a quick text to Sakura asking what he should give Hazuki, then returned his attention to the picture he was working on.

It was an image of a wood nymph, a young ethereal woman with leaves cascading down her back and through her hair while her white dress hung over the branches of the oak tree she was sitting in. The person who had commissioned it had asked for it to be done in watercolour paints. While it wasn't his go-to medium, he still had a pretty decent handle over the techniques, though not as much as he would have liked.

His message tone went off; he checked his phone to find a reply from Sakura, surprising him as he was not expecting her to get back to him so quickly.

S: _She'll eat most things, but here is a list of what Akiho and I usually give her_

Syaoran read through the list. Most of the options usually involves fruit or some kind of fresh produce like carrots and cucumber. Toast was included as well as the occasional treat like cake or some other kind of sweet. He thought about what he had in the fridge-he knew he had apples and pears, but was not sure how many, so it was probably better to be safe than sorry. So, he stood and started to clean up his workspace, covered his paints and put them in the fridge. By the time he had finished that, he had enough time to drop into the shops, grab a few things, then pick up Hazuki.

He grabbed some fruit to give to her as a snack as well as for himself, along with a few other things he needed. He knew he needed to do a proper grocery shop, but he didn't have the time.

"This will do." The murmured as he headed to the check-out counter.

The female cashier didn't stop herself from giving him a good look over, making him feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Got much on today?" she asked in an effort to make conversation-or to find out if he was free for a date.

"I'm on my way to pick up my daughter." Syaoran replied.

"Ah," she smiled, but he saw her disappointment. "My niece goes to the local kindergarten. I wonder if she knows your daughter?"

"I'd have no idea." Syaoran smiled as he handed over the money.

She handed him the remaining change and he thanked her, making his way out before she could question him any further.

Once in the car, he sighed softly, then made his way to the kindergarten. As he walked in, he noticed parents staring at him-he had expected it, to be honest, but he was sure they would eventually turn their attention elsewhere. At least, he hoped.

He approached the classroom. Mrs Suzumi spotted him and smiled before calling Hazuki over. Hazuki spotted him and her face lit up.

"Syao!"

She ran over to him and hugged his legs, before looking up at him with a puzzled expression.

"Is that a paint brush behind your ear?" she asked.

He snorted, "Oh-yes."

Hazuki laughed, "That's silly!"

Syaoran smiled. He supposed that in a way, it was silly. Mrs Suzumi approached, and he glanced up.

"How was she today?" he asked, concerned that maybe Hazuki was a bit anxious about him taking care of her.

"Hazuki had a good day-she really enjoyed playing with the boxes with some of the other kids." She replied.

"We made spaceships!" Hazuki grinned.

Mrs Suzuki turned to Hazuki with a smile, "I'll see you next week, Hazuki! Have a good weekend."

"Bye, bye!" Hazuki replied cheerfully as she took Syaoran's hand, catching him by surprise. He relaxed, though.

"Let's head home, then." He smiled.

In the car, Hazuki told Syaoran all about her day and the cardboard spaceships. He was glad that she felt comfortable enough to talk to him freely-it meant that she was comfortable with him and not afraid. They arrived at his place; Syaoran grabbed the shopping from the front seat while Hazuki hopped out from the back with her own bag in hand.

"Do you want something to eat, Hazuki?" He asked as they walked to the door.

"Yes please!" she chirped.

He let her through the door, and she bounced down the hallway to the kitchen with him following behind. Syaoran immediately moved to start putting his shopping away, then cut up an apple for Hazuki, who ate without complaint.

"Syao," Hazuki started, "Do you get to draw all day?"

Syaoran smiled. "Yes, I do."

"I want to draw like you!" she grinned, "And when I grow up, I'll draw all day too!"

"As long as you keep drawing, you'll be able to achieve that goal." He said, still smiling.

"Really?"

"Definitely."

Hazuki's face lit up. Syaoran sat down with her at the table with his cup of coffee. "What would you like to do, Hazuki?"

"Can I watch cartoons?" she asked hopefully.

Syaoran remembered that Sakura had said to only let her watch cartoons for an hour.

"Sure, eat your apple first." He replied

"Okay!"

Syaoran's phone buzzed in his pocket, so he pulled it out and checked it to find it was Eriol asking how he was doing with Hazuki. He sent a quick reply, then placed his phone on the table.

"Syao, are you my dad?" Hazuki suddenly asked completely out of the blue, nearly giving the poor man a heart attack.

He didn't know how to respond. He couldn't lie to her, but he couldn't tell her either-not without consulting Sakura first.

_'Shit.'_

"Why do you ask?"

Hazuki shrugged. He smiled, feeling a little guilty.

"Everyone at kinder has a dad except me." She mumbled.

"Do you think I'm your dad for any reason?" he asked gently, recognising that part of her question was prompted by the hope of having a father.

"I look like you." She mumbled, "I heard a lady say it."

Syaoran did not know what to say or do, apart from one thing: he needed to talk to Sakura. Thankfully, she had finished her apple, so he stood.

"How about I put the TV on for you?" he said, hoping it would distract her.

She nodded and slid from her chair, grabbed her plate and put it up on the bench before making her way to the lounge. Syaoran turned the TV on for her and flicked through the channels looking for the cartoons. Thankfully, it didn't take long to find them.

It was interesting to see what sort of things Hazuki was interested in; she seemed to really enjoy a show about fairies, while she was not really overly interested in a cartoon about firemen. But as soon as her favourite dinosaur cartoon came on, she was really excited.

"Are dinosaurs your favourite?" he asked her.

"Yeah!"

"You were wearing a costume at the exhibit, right?" Syaoran smiled.

Hazuki grinned, "Hey Syao, can you draw dinosaurs?"

He laughed, "I've never tried. How about we draw one together after we've finished watching this?"

Her face lit up, "Really? Yay!"

Syaoran smiled, glad that he could do something with her that he hoped she would enjoy.

...

Looking at her phone, Sakura's thumb hovered over the call button next to Syaoran's name. She was not sure if she should call and ask him if he was doing alright, or if she should just wait until she picked Hazuki up later.

_'I wonder if I should invite him for dinner...?'_ She thought to herself, staring at the screen.

"What you doin'?" Tomoyo asked from beside her, startling her.

"Tomoyo-you scared me!" Sakura said.

Tomoyo smiled, "Are you worried about them?" she asked, referring to Syaoran and Hazuki.

Sakura glanced back at her phone and sighed. "I was thinking about if I should call him." She sighed, "But I don't want it to seem like I don't trust him."

"Ah," Tomoyo murmured. "I don't think it would hurt to call him and see how they're both doing."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, go ahead." Tomoyo smiled, "Just don't forget about the meeting in fifteen minutes."

Sakura smiled gratefully at her best friend and secretary. "Thank you."

Tomoyo winked at her before turning and leaving the office to give Sakura some privacy. She sighed softly, hit dial and waited.

Syaoran answered after a few rings. "Hey-what's up?"

She smiled. "I thought I'd call and see how the two of you were going." She replied.

"I think everything is okay," Syaoran replied, "Hazuki's asleep right now."

"And she's been behaving okay? I know sometimes she can be a little difficult..."

"Yeah, she's been fine. There is something I think we need to talk about, though." He added.

"Oh-what happened? Is everything okay?" Sakura asked, worried.

"Well... Hazuki asked me if I'm her father. Apparently, some of the adults at the kindergarten were talking and she overheard them. She also mentioned that all the kids have dads except for her..." Syaoran explained.

Sakura ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm so sorry," she apologised, "I didn't realise..."

"It's not your fault," Syaoran replied, "I just... I wonder if maybe we should tell her after all."

Sakura wasn't sure what to do. What was the right thing to do right now? Hazuki already suspected something, but there was already so much going on.

"Sakura?" Syaoran prompted after she didn't answer.

"I'm not sure what to do," she confessed, "Maybe we can talk about this a little later in person? I want to talk about it, but I'm still at work and I have a meeting I need to be at soon."

"Of course-that's fine. I'm sorry I dropped this on you so suddenly." He apologised.

"No, I'm glad you told me." She smiled, "I'll see you after work."

"Alright. Have a good rest of your day." Syaoran added in a lighter tone.

She giggled, "Thank you."

They bid each other farewell before ending the call; Sakura groaned loudly.

"What do I do...?"

...

A knock at the door alerted Syaoran to Sakura's arrival. He made his way down the hallway to the front door and opened it, smiling when he saw Sakura's face.

"Hey," he greeted as he let her inside.

She smiled apologetically, "Hey-I'm so sorry I'm later than expected. The meeting ran overtime."

"Don't worry about it. How was work?"

They continued down to the kitchen, where Hazuki was busy doing what looked like a collage.

"It wasn't too bad," Sakura smiled, "We just finalised a business deal. We're going to be doing a collaboration with a popular designer brand."

"Congratulations," Syaoran beamed.

She blushed, "Thank you."

"Hi mama!" Hazuki chirped from her seat at the table.

"Hi sweetie-what are you working on?" Sakura walked over to see what she was doing, smiling at what seemed to have some sort of resemblance to a monster.

"It's a T-Rex!" Hazuki grinned proudly.

Sakura smiled widely, "You're doing an awesome job."

"Oh! Oh! Guess what!" Hazuki said excitedly.

Sakura raised her brow. "What?"

"Me and Syao drew a dinner together!"

Sakura smiled, "Can I see?"

"No, coz it's not done yet." Hazuki replied haughtily.

"Okay, but I really want to see it when it's done, if you don't mind showing me." Sakura replied cheerfully.

"Okay!" Hazuki grinned.

Sakura kissed the top of Hazuki's head before returning to Syaoran's side; he slid his arm around her waist in a half hug, which she returned.

"Would you like to come over tonight? I was thinking it might be easier for you since Hazuki doesn't have kindergarten tomorrow." Sakura offered.

"Are you sure?" he asked, "I don't want to impose."

"We'd love to have you. Right, Hazuki?"

Hazuki nodded excitedly.

"Okay," Syaoran replied with a small smile, "I'll just put a bag together."

"How about we meet you at my place for dinner? You might need your car tomorrow, anyway." Sakura suggested.

"Alright, that sounds good." Syaoran agreed.

She kissed his cheek, "See you soon, then."

He returned her smile and looked over at Hazuki, "Got everything in your bag?"

"Yup!" She replied proudly.

"I'll see you at home, then." Syaoran smiled again.

Hazuki slid out of her chair and grabbed her bag before skipping down the hallway to the door with Sakura following behind, telling her to be careful, and Syaoran waved goodbye as they left.

He closed the door and sighed softly, then proceeded to put together an overnight bag. He also gathered some drawing paper, the picture he and Hazuki had been working on, and the tools and pencils he needed for his work, then put them all into the car.

He wanted to get something for Sakura as a little congratulations gift for the business deal she had just made, so since he knew he was driving past a flower shop on the way, Syaoran decided to pick up a bouquet for her.

Sakura was already in the middle of making dinner when he arrived at the house. When she opened the door, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw him holding the flowers.

He blushed a little, "I wanted to get you something as a congratulations gift."

"Oh Syaoran, they're beautiful. Thank you so much." Sakura smiled, feeling over the moon to have gotten such a thoughtful gift. "I'll put them in a vase right now."

He followed her inside and into the kitchen; Sakura pulled a vase out from the cupboard under the sink and filled it with some water, then gently placed the flowers in it.

"Can I help with anything?" he asked.

"No, it's fine." She smiled, "Have a seat."

"Are you sure? I don't mind-"

"I'm very sure." She replied playfully, returning to the cooking. "Hazuki is in the lounge playing with her dolls."

"Ah," he smiled, "I bought some of my things with me so I can do some work while with Hazuki. I didn't want to bring any paints though-I wasn't sure how you'd feel."

"Oh-if you want to use paint, go for it. The mat I have Hazuki put out is specifically for stopping paint from getting on the floor." Sakura replied happily, "Also, I'm not hugely fussed if you make a mess, as long as you clean up afterwards." She added with a giggle.

Syaoran relaxed, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind." He laughed.

"So, what did you do with Hazuki today? Apart from drawing something with her, I mean." Sakura said.

"I sat with her while she watched a couple of cartoons. I wanted to see what sort of stuff she liked." Syaoran replied.

Sakura laughed, "Did she tell you about the dinosaur show she likes so much?"

"She did. That's actually how we ended up drawing together." Syaoran replied.

Having finished cooking, Sakura pulled out three plates and began to dish everything up. She was smiling as she did it. "I'm really glad the two of you seem to be bonding okay."

"Yeah, me too. I was worried-and I still worry." He confessed.

"I think anyone in your situation would feel that way." Sakura said as she walked over, carrying two plates. She set them down; one in front of Syaoran, and the other where Hazuki would sit.

"Thank you." He replied with a smile.

"I hope you like it... I'm not as good a cook as my dad." Sakura smiled sheepishly.

"That wasn't what I meant." He laughed.

She blinked, feeling confused.

"Hazuki, come and eat your dinner." Syaoran instead called out.

Snapping out of her stupor, Sakura moved to grab her own plate as Hazuki made her way to her seat.

The three of them ate together; Hazuki told Sakura all about her day at kindergarten and some of what she did with Syaoran, and once they had finished, Sakura washed the dishes while Hazuki dried them. Syaoran insisted on helping, so Sakura asked him to put the dry dishes away. It was a moment that Sakura never thought she would experience-the three of them acting like a family. The best part was that she could look forward to more of these moments in the future.

When they were done, they all sat down in the lounge room. Hazuki returned to playing with her toys while Sakura and Syaoran watched the news followed by whatever was on afterwards.

When it hit seven o'clock and it was time for Hazuki's bedtime, she ran into her room and brought out a book.

"Can we read this together?" Hazuki asked hopefully, looking at both Sakura and Syaoran.

Sakura smiled, "Sure. Come here," she patted her lap, and Hazuki made her way over.

"What are we reading?" Syaoran asked.

"This is the book Naoko made for her." Sakura smiled.

"Oh wow," Syaoran smiled, "She illustrated it herself, right?"

Sakura nodded as Hazuki climbed into her lap. She opened up the book but stopped when Hazuki made an irritable noise.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"Can Syao read it?" Hazuki asked sheepishly.

Syaoran felt a jolt go through him. Hazuki wanted him to read the story?

Sakura looked at him with a smile. "Would you mind reading?"

"Oh-sure." He eventually replied, and together, the three of them read the story.

Syaoran had read stories to nieces and nephews before, but somehow, reading one to his own daughter felt very foreign. After putting Hazuki to bed and kissing her goodnight, Sakura walked back out to the lounge where Syaoran was waiting.

"How did you feel reading to Hazuki?" She asked with a small smile as she sat down.

Syaoran smiled, "It was nice. I was surprised though-I wasn't expecting her to ask me."

Sakura giggled, then fell quiet for a moment. Syaoran could tell she wanted to say something, so he waited.

"So… About Hazuki earlier today when she asked you if you were her father…"

"When...did you want to tell Hazuki?" He asked hesitantly.

"When you're ready." She replied. "I don't think there's a right or wrong way to do this."

"She's already asking questions," Syaoran murmured, "I think we should tell her the truth. Everyone knows anyway, so we don't have to worry about them finding out from her."

Sakura nodded. "You have a point... I think it might help put her mind at ease as well."

"I'm just not sure how to tell her," he confessed.

"Well... How about tomorrow night we both talk to her together?" she suggested.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Sakura smiled, "Only if you want to. I don't want to push you into anything you don't want to do."

Syaoran smiled a little, "I think talking to her together is a good idea."

"Okay," she replied, "I'm sure it will be okay."

Syaoran still couldn't help but feel a little anxious about it, and she could tell.

"How about we watch a movie?" she suggested gently.

Realising she was trying to help ease his anxiety in her own way, he smiled. "Sure."

"Why don't you pick something to watch? I was thinking I could open a bottle of wine." She added.

Syaoran stood, "That sounds good."

Sakura made her way into the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine, returning with a red Shiraz, then grabbed two wine glasses from the cabinet. While she poured the wine, Syaoran picked a movie to put on, and once it was in the DVD player, he sat back down with Sakura to enjoy it.

...

The annoying sound of the alarm woke Sakura in the morning, telling her it was time to drag herself out of bed. She could hear the shower going, so she sat up and shut off the alarm, shivering as the cool air brushed against her naked skin. She stood and walked into the bathroom, slipping into the shower behind Syaoran and wrapping her arms around his waist from behind.

He turned, returning her hug as he leant in for a kiss. "Good morning to you too," he murmured as he parted.

She smiled, "You're up early."

"I'm always up at this time." He responded.

Smiling, she leant up to kiss him again; he responded eagerly, immediately deepening the kiss as he slid his tongue past her lips. A small moan crawled up Sakura's throat and he parted from her lips in favour of lifting her legs up around his waist while he supported her against the wall.

She pulled him in for another kiss while his hand ventured between her legs, his fingers dipping into her core. As he continued to pleasure her, Sakura was forced to break away from the kiss as she gasped for air, her nails digging into his shoulders.

Another moan escaped her parted lips, and unable to keep himself from her for any longer, he allowed her to guide his member to her core. He immediately pushed up inside her, thrusting his hips against hers as the water poured down over them. With each thrust, Sakura could feel the pressure building in her abdomen; she had to stifle her moans so that Hazuki wouldn't be able to hear anything unusual-that child had ridiculously good hearing unless she was in a deep sleep.

And Sakura hoped she was still asleep, unable to suppress her moan as she came, her muscles clamping down hard around Syaoran's member. She knew he was close to coming as well as his thrusts grew more erratic. He came, giving a few more stilted thrusts before stopping entirely, and they both took a moment to catch their breath.

"This was definitely not what I had planned when I stepped in the shower with you," she breathed.

Syaoran snorted, "Liar."

Sakura laughed, "Well, I certainly don't regret it. Not sure I'm a fan of doing it in the shower though."

"It's not terribly comfortable." He agreed with a hint of amusement.

"I think I bruised something." Sakura added, making Syaoran burst out laughing.

"Sorry," he said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Sakura replied, trying to stifle her own laughter.

"I'll leave you to shower," he said as he moved to step out, "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Oh-I'll just have toast with strawberry jam." She answered.

Syaoran left the bathroom, leaving Sakura to shower. She washed her hair quickly, then shut off the water.

After drying herself and getting dressed, she brushed her hair and made her way out to the kitchen where Syaoran had already made her a hot cup of coffee and had bread in the toaster.

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully.

"Anytime." He replied.

Her toast popped; she spread the jam on it and sat down at the table to eat. Syaoran joined her while he checked his emails on his phone.

"Anything interesting?" She asked.

"There's a sale at the art store." He replied. "I might go down with Hazuki to have a look later. Some of my brushes are dying. Sid also texted me to let me know that he needed to meet with me today."

"I'm sure she'd enjoy that." Sakura smiled. "The art store, I mean."

Spotting that he had a text, he opened it up only for his face to sour. He deleted the text, then locked his phone and placed it on the table.

"Is everything okay?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, it was just from my mother." He murmured, "She's been trying to get my address."

Sakura's eyes widened. "What for?"

"Probably so she can come to Japan and attempt to take me back to Hong Kong." Syaoran said bitterly.

Sakura placed her hand over his as she worried for him, wanting him to feel safe. He looked up at her with surprise, then smiled.

"Thank you." He said softly.

Sakura wasn't sure what to say, so she just held his hand as she gave him a comforting smile.

He squeezed her hand gently, "You should finish getting ready for work-otherwise you'll be late."

Sakura glanced at the clock. "Shit-!"

Syaoran watched with amusement as she scrambled to get her things together. Once she had everything, she grabbed her keys.

"I'll see you tonight!" She said as she headed out the door.

"Stay safe." Syaoran replied.

"I will," she answered as she hurried out the door, closing it behind her.

Syaoran smiled. He was glad he had come to Japan.


	10. Daddy!

**Hello again! Again, thank you for your comments as always :') I really hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Hazuki was awake by eight, making herself known as she came running out in her dinosaur pyjamas. She spotted Syaoran sitting at the table drawing something in his sketch book; he looked up as he spotted her and smiled.

"Morning, Hazuki."

"Morning!" she beamed.

"Ready to eat breakfast?" he asked.

Hazuki nodded and Syaoran stood.

"What are you drawing?" Hazuki asked curiously.

"I'm working on a picture of an elf." He replied, "Would you like to see?"

"Yes please!" she chirped.

Syaoran smiled and picked up the book, holding it out for her to see.

"It's so pretty!"

"Thank you." Syaoran smiled, "Would you like to work on that picture with me again today?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright. What would you like for breakfast?" Syaoran then asked.

"Toast, please." She replied.

Syaoran smiled as he was reminded of Sakura earlier that morning and put the bread in the toaster.

"Da- Syao, is this a picture of mama?" Hazuki asked, looking at the picture on the other page of his sketch book.

He glanced up. He had not missed what she was just about to call him. "It is."

"She's so pretty! Like a fairy!" Hazuki said happily. "Can you paint a pretty picture of mama as a fairy?"

Syaoran felt himself smile as he grabbed the toast and spread the butter on it. "Well, I'm sure I can do that for you."

Hazuki's face lit up. "Really? Yay!"

He walked over and placed her plate of toast in front of her before sitting back down in his seat.

"After you've eaten and gotten dressed, we have to go out shopping." He added.

"Where are we going?" she asked with her mouth full.

"Swallow before speaking." He said.

She swallowed. "Sorry." She mumbled sheepishly.

"I need to go to the art store," Syaoran answered her question, "And then I need to meet with someone who helps me with my work."

He knew she was too young to understand what an agent was, so it was just easier to tell her it was someone who helped him. He visibly noticed that she suddenly became a bit anxious.

"Okay."

He was not sure what to say, so he figured the best place to start was to find out what was bothering her. "What's up?"

She shrugged.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me." He said softly.

"Whenever mummy sees people for work while I'm with her, she ignores me." She mumbled.

Syaoran thought for a moment, trying to figure out the right way to address the situation.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to make you feel alone."

Hazuki bit into her toast, making it obvious she was not going to say anything. There was a very brief silence, until Syaoran spoke again.

"Well, you'll be with me at the table. How about I buy you a little sketch book of your own and you can draw?" he suggested.

Hazuki's face brightened a bit and she nodded. He sighed with relief and smiled.

"Alright, we have a plan."

Hazuki finished eating her toast and carried the plate over to the sink, then made her way to her bedroom to get dressed. Sakura had mentioned in her notes that sometimes Hazuki would need help with certain items of clothing, but thankfully, Hazuki would ask if need be.

After a while, he wondered if she'd gotten stuck with something and if he should go check on her, but as he was about to do so, she walked out wearing a pair of bright pink flowery tights with a white skirt and long sleeved yellow top... that she had put on backwards.

"My top feels weird." She mumbled.

"You've got it on the wrong way." Syaoran replied with an amused smile.

He remembered back when he had been looking after one of his nephews, and the boy had put his shorts on backwards and his t-shirt inside out as well as the wrong way.

"Can you help?" Hazuki asked.

"Sure. Can you take it off on your own?"

"No..." she mumbled, embarrassed.

"Alright. Lift your arms."

Hazuki did as instructed; Syaoran peeled the top off over her head and then turned it the right way out. He scrunched it up so that it was easier to get over her head, then found one of the sleeves for her to slide her arm into, followed by the second one.

"Thank you." She said.

"You're welcome. Do you have a jumper and coat? It's going to be very cold outside." Syaoran added.

She nodded and ran back to her room, coming out with a woollen jumper and a yellow coat. He watched as she struggled with her jumper for a minute, but she managed to figure it out in the end without his help. But she struggled with the coat, which he did have to help her with. She hadn't quite figured out buttons yet, or zips.

"Alright-do you need help with shoes? Make sure you have gloves and a beanie." He added.

"I don't need help with shoes!" she grinned proudly.

He laughed, "Alright."

A few minutes later, she returned with her shoes on her feet, her gloves and her beanie on her head. Since she was ready, he grabbed the keys and headed for the door, locking it behind them, then got in the car and headed off.

It wasn't too busy on the roads, thankfully, as they had missed peak hour traffic. So, it did not take very long to get to the shopping centre. Even though it wasn't horribly busy, Syaoran still took Hazuki's hand as he did not want to lose her while making their way through the centre and to the art store.

"Don't run off." He told her as they walked in.

Hazuki was too distracted by the bright packaging of the craft kits to even think about walking off but was disappointed when they headed down a different isle. She looked up at Syaoran when he released her hand to pick up a packet of charcoal, then a couple of fine line pens. He then took her hand again and they moved to the isle with the various paints and paint brushes.

"Why are there so many brushes?" Hazuki asked.

"Well," he murmured, picking up some of the brushes and checking what size they were. "There are different kinds depending on what sort of thing you're trying to paint."

She pointed to a flat brush. "What's this one used for?"

Smiling, he picked one up. "If you want to paint thick lines, you can use this brush. You can also use it to make a thick line and then make it thin."

Hazuki scrunched up her face. "How?"

Syaoran laughed, "How about I show you later?"

"Okay!" She grinned. "What about this one?"

Syaoran noticed she was pointing towards the fan brushes. "They're really good for trying to paint trees and shrubberies."

"Shruh...beree?"

"They..." Syaoran wondered how he should word it so a four-year-old wouldn't get too confused. "It's like a bunch of bushes."

"Oh. Why are some big and others small?" she then asked.

"Sometimes you want to paint bigger shapes, other times you might want to do really small things." He answered.

"Oh."

Syaoran smiled, picked out the brushes he wanted, and then they walked over to where the various pads of paper and sketch books were.

"Alright... here's a sketch book for you," he picked up a standard size sketch book for her, and she bounced with excitement.

"Can I hold it?" she asked, "Pretty please?"

"Sure," he handed it to her, and she took it from him with the brightest look he had ever seen on her face.

Once he'd picked up the other things he needed, he paid for their items and they left the store. He had organised to meet Sid at a small cafe, so they were headed there next, and since they had arrived earlier than the meeting time he went ahead and ordered a hot chocolate for Hazuki and a cappuccino for himself. Syaoran knew she was eyeing off the cakes and slices in the window but pretended not to notice. She still had chocolate at home that she could have later, after all.

"Li-sorry I'm a little late." Sid said as he approached. The man's eyes widened when he spotted Hazuki sitting at the table.

"It's fine," Syaoran replied.

"And who is this young lady?" Sid asked.

Hazuki looked up from her drawing and eyed the man warily. Sid smiled at her, but she quickly looked down and hid her face.

"This is Hazuki, my girlfriend's daughter. I'm looking after her while her babysitter is away in another country." Syaoran explained.

"Ah, it's nice to meet you, Hazuki."

Syaoran looked over at Hazuki, noticing she looked a bit uncomfortable. He was not sure if it was because she was just shy or if there was another reason.

"Nice to meet you too." She mumbled.

"Hazuki, this is Sid. He helps me with my work." Syaoran introduced him.

Hazuki glanced up briefly before going back to her drawing.

"I guess she doesn't like me." Sid sighed as he sat down.

"What is it you wanted to talk with me about?" Syaoran asked.

"I forwarded you some information on some galleries that are interested in exhibiting your work. I was wondering what you thought about them." Sid replied.

"Sorry, I haven't actually read over any of it yet. I've been so busy with commissions and with Sakura and Hazuki that I haven't had time." Syaoran confessed.

"Ah, that's alright. Sorry, I'm just so used to hearing back from you quickly." Sid replied.

Syaoran raised his brow and Sid realised what he had just said.

"Not that that's a bad thing! You've got people you want to be with."

Syaoran smiled. "I do."

"I also recently found some old photos of mine on my computer that I thought you might find some inspiration in. I put them on a USB for you." Sid added, sliding the memory stick across the table.

"Thanks-I'll be sure to check it out." He replied gratefully, "I'll give you a text or a call once I've looked over the things you sent me. Depending on what they are, I might have to talk with Sakura." Syaoran said.

Sid nodded, "That's fine. By the way, I couldn't help noticing that this young lady seems to be a prodigy."

Syaoran looked over at Hazuki who looked really confused.

"Pro...didgee?" she repeated the unfamiliar word.

"It means you're talented for your age." Syaoran explained.

"Is that a good thing?" Hazuki asked, still not quite understanding.

"Yes."

"Those folders with all of those drawings you were looking through the other week-were they all drawings done by Hazuki?" Sid asked.

Syaoran nodded. "Sakura kept them all so that she had a record of her progress."

Sid looked a bit awkward at the mention of Sakura's name, reminding him about the time when Sakura had ripped Sid a new one.

"She's very supportive." Sid smiled, "That's good."

Syaoran agreed. He was glad that Sakura was so supportive of both him, and of Hazuki's passion for art, as he had never had that kind of support from his parents. He wanted to give Hazuki the support that he never got.

"How are your commissions going?" Sid then asked.

"They're coming along fine. Some are taking longer than others though, but I don't mind so much." Syaoran replied.

"That's good," Sid smiled, "If you need me for anything just let me know."

"Thanks."

Sid stood, "I'll leave you be, then. Keep up the good artwork you two."

"Take care." Syaoran replied.

Sid nodded and then made his way out of the cafe. Syaoran looked over at Hazuki's page, finding she seemed to be drawing a picture of a small family. The realisation hit him when he realised which family it was-him, Sakura and Hazuki herself.

"Ready to head home?" he asked gently.

Hazuki nodded and gave him a smile, slipped off her chair and closed her sketch book.

"Alright-lets go."

...

Sakura walked out of her office to find Tomoyo on the phone. From the expression on her face and the way she was listening attentively, Sakura assumed it was a call from a client. She waited until the call was finished, then Tomoyo turned to her.

"Would you like me to fax those over to the client?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura nodded, "Yes, I'd appreciate it."

"No problem. Now, I was just on the phone with one of your clients-the movie producer?" Tomoyo said as she took the folder from Sakura.

Sakura started to feel dread. "Oh god-they don't want me to re-do it all again, do they? Because it will cost them."

Tomoyo laughed. "No, actually they're really pleased with your work. They were wondering if they could get a prototype made."

"Ah," Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I'll go talk to the jewellers now."

"Um... it's the end of the day. Everyone's gone home." Tomoyo pointed out, looking at the clock.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Oh no-I must have been so absorbed in my work I didn't notice!"

Tomoyo laughed, "You know," she said, "That usually only happens when you're worrying about something."

Sakura looked at her with surprise. "Is that true? Well... Now that I think about it..."

Tomoyo smiled gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Sakura sighed softly and sat down in the vacant chair at the desk next to Tomoyo's. "Well... Hazuki has been asking a lot of questions about her dad, lately. She asked Syaoran some things yesterday, but he didn't give her a straight answer. So... we talked about it, and we both decided that we should tell her tonight." She explained.

"I see. No wonder you've been out of it all day." Tomoyo replied. "Let me know how it goes, okay? And Eriol and I are always here for you guys."

Sakura hugged her best friend. "I don't deserve such an amazing friend. Thank you so much."

"What are friends for?" Tomoyo giggled, "Now, you should head home before they start to worry."

"You should head off too." Sakura said, "How is Eriol doing with work?"

"He's doing great," Tomoyo replied, looking proud. "He's also been asked to teach at a university."

"That's amazing! Is he going to take it?" Sakura asked.

"He hasn't decided yet. He said he really wants to think things through properly before making any decisions."

Sakura smiled, "That's understandable. Can't blame him for that."

"Nope." Tomoyo laughed, "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay-I'll grab my stuff and head off."

Tomoyo nodded, then Sakura headed back into her office to grab her things. She couldn't help but feel that Tomoyo was hiding something, though, and it made her worry. Tomoyo was usually pretty open about things, but it seemed like she was not ready to talk yet, so Sakura didn't push her. She would talk when she was ready to, after all.

The drive home was rather quiet, so she got back to the house sooner than she normally would. When she walked inside, she could hear Hazuki laughing in the lounge room. Smiling, Sakura walked in to find that she and Syaoran were playing together.

Hazuki's face lit up when she spotted her. "Mummy!"

Hazuki ran to Sakura and gave her a big hug.

"Hi honey," Sakura smiled, "What are you guys playing?"

"Me and dad-" Hazuki stopped immediately as she realised what she had just said. Syaoran and Sakura both looked at each other, just as shocked as each other.

"We're playing superheroes!" Hazuki finished.

Sakura knelt down in front of Hazuki, tucking some hair behind the little girls' ear.

"Oh yeah? And who is Syaoran supposed to be?"

"The evil monster ravaging the town." Syaoran replied with a snort.

Sakura burst out laughing. "You two will have to fill me in on your day while I make dinner, okay?"

"Okay!" Hazuki grinned and ran into the kitchen.

Syaoran stood and walked over to where Sakura was standing, "When should we talk to her?"

"I was thinking after dinner, if that's alright with you?"

He nodded, "I wasn't expecting her to call me that just now."

"Neither... But maybe that's a good sign." Sakura suggested.

He smiled, "Yeah, maybe."

"You two are so slow!" Hazuki mumbled from the kitchen doorway.

Sakura giggled, "Sorry honey. We're coming now."

They both walked into the kitchen, where Sakura put the kettle on to boil and pulled out ingredients for dinner. "What are we making?" Syaoran asked.

"Oh-you don't have to..." Sakura said, not wanting to bother him, but he gave her a pointed look.

"You've had a long day at work. Let me help with dinner." He said.

She couldn't help but smile. "Alright."

"Mummy! Syao bought me a drawing book!" Hazuki beamed.

"Oh really? Have you drawn anything in it yet?" Sakura replied.

"Yeah! A dinosaur!"

"Will you show me later?" she then asked as she started cutting up onions.

"Okay!"

Sakura smiled and handed the cutting board with diced onion over to Syaoran. "Were you able to find what you were looking for at the shop, Syaoran?"

He took it and scraped the onion into the pan to cook. "Yeah, I was able to pick up a few different paints as well."

"That's good." She smiled, "I was able to finish some final designs today. They just need to be sent off to the client to get their final approval..." Sakura said as she moved around the kitchen.

"That's good." Syaoran replied.

"Yeah, hopefully they're happy with it. It's supposed to be a wedding ring set, and they had extremely specific ideas in mind for it." Sakura replied.

"That sounds like a tough client to deal with." Syaoran said.

"Yeah, they've been pretty demanding... but, that movie producer I was telling you about who commissioned my company, has asked for a prototype to be made." Sakura added.

"What's a prototype?" Hazuki asked.

"It's like a practice version of making something." Sakura tried to explain.

"Oh," Hazuki said.

"Work has been so tiring lately, so I'm glad I'm finally making progress with these things." Sakura said happily.

"It's good news." Syaoran added, "Do you want me to add the eggs?"

"Oh-yes please."

Dinner did not take long to cook, thankfully, as Sakura was starving. They all sat down and ate together, then after cleaning the dishes, they sat down in the lounge room. Syaoran and Sakura were both feeling anxious about how to talk to Hazuki, but even so, they still felt it was the best thing to do.

"Hazuki, come sit here for a minute." Sakura called her over before she could sit down to play with her toys.

Hazuki could tell something was amiss. She looked warily at the two adults as she made her way over to the couch.

"Are you mad at me?" she mumbled.

Sakura's eyes widened. "What? No-not at all. I'm sorry if we scared you."

Hazuki looked between the two adults, feeling confused.

"Listen... You wanted to know about your dad, right?"

Hazuki's expression quickly changed to a hopeful one. Sakura glanced over at Syaoran and smiled.

"Well... Syaoran is your dad." Sakura said gently, "There were some reasons why he couldn't be here before, but now he's here to be with us, okay?"

Hazuki's face lit up in a way Sakura had never seen before. "Really? Daddy is staying?"

"Yes," Syaoran replied. "I promise."

He had absolutely no intention of leaving either Hazuki or Sakura. He did not deny that he was scared; he was scared that he could not be a good father, or a good partner for Sakura. But he knew that he would learn, and he would learn with Sakura at his side.

Hazuki hugged Syaoran, "Daddy!"

Syaoran looked up at Sakura who gave him a nod, encouraging him. He hugged Hazuki back. He did not deny that a part of him felt relieved now that Hazuki knew the truth about him.

Sakura seemed to relax, too, as she watched the pair. A huge weight was lifted from her chest, replaced with a warmth instead.

"Mummy should hug too!" Hazuki grinned, taking Sakura by surprise as she pulled on her hand.

Sakura smiled and shifted herself so that she was closer to the two and rested her head on Syaoran's shoulder while Hazuki hugged the two of them. It was a nice feeling, the three of them being together like this.

The sound of the phone going off interrupted the happy moment, making Sakura groan.

"Sorry guys... I should check who that is." She stood.

"Aww, okay." Hazuki pouted.

Sakura walked into the kitchen and picked up her phone, finding it was Akiho. She answered it quickly, glad to hear from her.

"Akiho-how are you?" she breathed.

"Hi Sakura-sorry for calling unexpectedly..." Akiho replied.

"How are you doing?" Sakura asked.

"I think I'm okay. I'm still a bit out of it, to be honest."

Sakura nodded, "That's perfectly normal, I think... Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Thank you so much for your support... I was wondering if Hazuki is okay? Were you able to find someone to look after her while I'm away?" Akiho asked anxiously.

Sakura smiled, "Hazuki is doing great; she's asked about you a few times. She misses you. And don't worry about us-Syaoran is caring for Hazuki in your stead. It's giving them a great chance for bonding."

"I'm so relieved to hear that." Akiho replied, her voice sounding lighter.

"Would you like to say hello to her? I think she'd really like to hear from you." Sakura added.

"I'd really love that." Akiho said.

Sakura smiled and walked into the lounge room where Hazuki and Syaoran were sitting together.

"Hazuki, Akiho's on the phone; would you like to say hi?"

Hazuki's face lit up, "Aki-chan!"

Sakura handed the phone over to Hazuki who took it and started chatting happily with Akiho. She sat back down beside Syaoran.

"How is she doing?" Syaoran asked.

"About as well as you would expect, I suppose... I'm not sure when she will be back, though. I'll ask her when she's finished talking to Hazuki." Sakura said.

"Hazuki really seems to love her." He smiled.

"She's known Akiho since she was a baby," Sakura smiled, "Akiho is like family to us."

"How did you two meet?" Syaoran asked curiously.

"It was just after she started living here. She was desperate for a job, as she had originally come to Japan to get away from her family." Sakura explained, "Her family, except for her two parents, don't really like her because she's the heiress to a very large fortune, among other things."

Syaoran lowered his eyes as he thought about his own situation. It was not the same situation, but he could understand needing to get away.

"Her parents wanted her away from the family, because they could see how unhappy she was, and to make sure she could no longer be abused." Sakura added quietly. "So... I took her under my wing."

"She's lucky to have someone as compassionate as you in her life, and someone as cheerful as Hazuki." Syaoran smiled.

Sakura blushed, then smiled. "Thanks."

"Mama, Aki-chan wants to talk to you again." Hazuki mumbled as she handed over the phone.

"Thanks sweetie," Sakura took the phone and placed it to her ear. "Did you and Hazuki have a nice chat?"

"We did," Akiho giggled, "She was particularly excited about her dad."

"Ah," Sakura laughed, "I'll have to have you over sometime so you can get to properly know each other."

"I'd like that." Akiho replied happily, "I think I should be back in a month. There's a lot of paperwork I need to sort through, and my relatives are... well..."

Sakura smiled softly. "It's okay. Take all the time you need."

"Thank you again," Akiho added, "I'm glad you and Hazuki are doing okay. Please take care of yourselves."

"You too," Sakura replied, then after a few more exchanges they ended the call.

"Akiho reckons she'll be back by the end of next month." Sakura told Syaoran.

"Hopefully, everything goes okay on her end." He replied.

Sakura nodded. She really hoped things went okay for her friend as well. She glanced at the clock, noticing the time, and looked over at Hazuki.

"Honey, it's time for your bath."

"Okay!" Hazuki jumped to her feet and ran out and down the hall.

"I'll be back shortly." Sakura smiled at Syaoran.

Syaoran watched as she disappeared around the corner and sighed softly. He took a moment to figure out what he was feeling; a mixture of relief and exhaustion, along with overwhelming anxiety. Hazuki seemed to take the news well, and for that he was relieved. The exhaustion came from the anxiety that he wouldn't be a good dad, and he wondered if all parents felt the way he did at some point.

_'It's okay. Sakura doesn't expect you to know exactly what to do.'_ He reminded himself.

His own phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out to once again see that it was a call from his parents, so he rejected the call and put it on silent so he wouldn't hear it ring again. He then remembered the email Sid had sent him with all of the information about the galleries that were interested in his work. He decided he didn't want to look at it right now-not with everything that had happened. It would be better to look at it all with a clear head.

Sakura returned a while later, after Hazuki was in bed. She smiled gently as she sat down next to him.

"You look exhausted."

Syaoran smiled. "Yeah. I'm a bit overwhelmed."

She hugged him, winding her arms around his waist.

"What do you feel like doing?" she asked, wanting to do something that would help them both to wind down.

"We could watch something, I guess." He shrugged, "Do you have anything specific in mind?"

She giggled, "No, I don't, but let's see what we can watch."

He nodded agreement. A movie before bed sounded perfect.

...

Syaoran couldn't help but feel a little restless as he sat in his studio painting. He was barely paying attention to what he was painting with all of his thoughts running amok, and when he looked up he found he had painted another image of Sakura and Hazuki; they were both dressed in ivory, and Sakura was holding Hazuki close to her chest. It was a soft and gentle image, one that warmed the heart. He smiled, amused. Despite the chaos in his head, he had still somehow ended up painting something warm.

The doorbell rang. Once he placed his brush in the sink, he headed down the hallway to answer the door. He pulled it open to find Sid standing on the doorstep.

"Come in." Syaoran said as he stepped to the side.

"Thanks." Sid replied as he stepped out of the cold.

"Coffee?" Syaoran asked as they walked down to the kitchen.

"No thanks. I just had one from a cafe." Sid replied, "Have you painted anything new, lately?"

"I just did a quick painting. I'm meeting up with Sakura and Hazuki for the afternoon. We're going to the shopping plaza."

Sid nodded, staying silent for a moment. Syaoran looked up, noticing his agents silence usually meant something was bothering him.

"What's bothering you?" he decided to ask.

Sid sighed, "I know you're a very private person, but how can I work with you when I don't know what's going on in your life? I know I'm European, but-"

"It's got nothing to do with your ethnicity, Sid. I'm just trying to wrap my own head around my life at the moment." Syaoran answered.

"At _least_ tell me something." Sid pleaded.

Syaoran turned to look at his agent and sighed heavily. "Hazuki, Sakura's daughter, is also my daughter."

Sid's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he struggled to process what Syaoran had just said, and suddenly everything made sense.

"Wow." Was all Sid could say.

"I'm sorry for not talking with you about any of what was happening. As I said, I'm still trying to wrap my head around things at the moment." Syaoran said.

Sid nodded understanding, "I'm sorry."

"It is what it is." Syaoran shrugged, "Here are all of the pieces that are ready to be posted out to the customers."

Syaoran walked around to the other side of the bench, where several flat packages were standing on their sides.

"I'll get that done as soon as possible for you, then." Sid replied as he picked some of them up to carry out to the car.

Syaoran picked up the others and followed him out, put them in the back of the car and stood back; Sid waved as he got into his car, and Syaoran watched as he left. Once he was back inside, he packed up his things to get ready to leave.

...

"Mama, when's daddy going to be here?" Hazuki asked for the umpteenth time that day.

"He should be arriving any moment now, okay?" Sakura answered, trying really hard not to let her patience slip.

Hazuki sighed loudly as she slumped over the table. Sakura prayed that Syaoran would arrive soon as she wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to stop herself from getting angry. Her phone buzzed. She picked it up to find Syaoran had sent her a message.

_-Just got out of the car. Be there in a few.-_

She sighed with relief.

Sure enough, roughly five minutes later, Syaoran appeared.

"Daddy!" Hazuki squealed with delight as she ran to hug him.

Syaoran looked surprised for a moment, but then smiled and picked her up. He had carried his nieces and nephews in a similar way back when he had looked after them.

"Hey, you're full of energy." He greeted.

Sakura stood with her bag. "She's been asking and asking for the last hour when you would be getting here." She said playfully.

"We agreed to meet at two, remember?" Syaoran said to Hazuki.

"But it was forever away!" Hazuki pouted.

"Well, shall we go see this movie?" Sakura asked.

"Yes!"

"Alrighty," Syaoran put Hazuki back down on her feet.

Hazuki took Sakura's hand like she had been taught to, and with her other hand, she took Syaoran's, sending a jolt through his body. It had completely taken him by surprise, but he relaxed and curled his fingers around her tiny hand as they walked to the cinemas together.

The movie they were seeing was one that was aimed at families, so that everyone could enjoy it. There were subtle jokes that only older teens or adults would pick up on behind most of the scenes, which made it more worthwhile to watch.

Overall, it was a good time.

After the movie, they went to a crepe restaurant together before having to part ways much to Hazuki's dismay.

"Mummy, why couldn't daddy come with us?" Hazuki asked sadly from the backseat of the car.

"Syaoran has some important things to do," Sakura replied gently, "You'll get to see him again on Monday."

"Okay." Hazuki mumbled.

They pulled up the driveway; just as Sakura opened her front door to let Hazuki inside, she noticed a familiar car pull up outside her house. Her cheery mood came to an abrupt stop as Touya got out of his car.

"Hazuki, go inside and play." She murmured to her daughter.

"Okay!" Hazuki bounced inside, while Sakura stayed at the door.

"Sakura," Touya spoke as he approached her, "We need to talk."

"Not right now, Touya." Sakura replied.

"It has to be now," he pushed, "You refuse to answer my calls or texts."

"Because every time we talk, you give me some big lecture on how much of a screw up I am." Sakura spat, "I don't need to hear it. Not again."

Touya was silent for a long moment. "Please," he spoke softly, "Can we just get coffee?"

Sakura could see in his eyes that he genuinely just wanted to spend time with her, but she knew that at some point, he would turn the conversation towards her life choices like he always did.

"No. Goodbye, Touya."

She hated how he showed up whenever he pleased, without a thought to how she was feeling. It made her so angry she wanted to scream. She stepped into her house and shut the door in his face, making it clear the conversation was over and she didn't want to talk to him.

* * *

**Next chapter isn't far away, i'm just editing it and fixing up some clunky bits. As always, thank you for reading! see you soon.**


	11. Silent Screams

**Hello again-sorry for the late update... again.**

**Hope everyone is doing okay, given the state of things in the world at the moment. Stay safe everyone :) **

* * *

Once Hazuki was tucked into bed and asleep, Sakura settled herself down on the couch and switched on the TV. It had been a fairly boring day-mostly cleaning and putting washing away, as well as doing the grocery shopping. All of those things had been fairly effective at keeping her conversation with Touya out of her mind, but now that she was alone, it was all she could think of. She turned the volume down and picked up her phone, dialling Tomoyo's number. She always felt better after talking with her best friend.

"Hey Sakura-what's up?"

Sakura sighed heavily. "Sorry for calling so late."

"It's alright," Tomoyo replied, "Now, what was the big sigh for?"

"Touya showed up after Hazuki and I got home from the movies yesterday." She answered.

"...What did he have to say?" Tomoyo asked softly.

"He wanted to have coffee. You know, after showing up to give me more lectures on my life choices." Sakura muttered. "He wants back in my life."

"Ah." Tomoyo murmured.

Sakura raised her brow. "What?"

Tomoyo sighed heavily. "Well... you haven't exactly given him much of a chance."

"Tomoyo, he showed up on my doorstep the other week just to yell at me about how my being with Syaoran was wrong-he didn't even try to get to know him! He took one look and was suddenly at his throat." Sakura huffed.

"And I agree that was wrong, but you know he's just trying to protect you." Tomoyo replied calmly.

"And that's exactly what infuriates me! I'm twenty-seven!"

"Why don't you sit down with him-have coffee like he wanted-and talk about it? Tell him that if he wants back in your life, he has to come to terms with the fact that you're dating the father of your daughter and you want him to get to know him." Tomoyo suggested.

Sakura sighed. "He won't listen-he never does."

"Make him listen."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "As if he'd listen to me."

"I know you've been really hurt by him, but that's all the more reason to really make it clear to him. I know you don't truly hate Touya." Tomoyo added, "And if he really doesn't get the memo, then I don't think anyone would blame you for cutting ties."

Sakura heard her phone beep, alerting her that another call was coming through. "Hang on a sec, I have a call coming through."

She put Tomoyo on hold and answered the incoming call.

"This is Sakura, how may I help you?" she asked.

"Hello, this is Doctor Fuyuki from Tomoeda Hospital-I'm terribly sorry for the late phone call, Miss Kinomoto." Came the reply.

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong?"

"Ah, your father has just arrived at the emergency department. One of his neighbours called for an ambulance after witnessing him collapse." The doctor replied. "He's stable for now, but you might want to come down and see him when you're available."

"Okay, I'll be there in an hour." Sakura replied quickly, "Thank you for calling."

After a few more exchanges, Sakura ended the call and returned to her conversation with Tomoyo.

"Is everything okay?" Tomoyo asked quickly.

"I'm sorry, but do you mind if I bring Hazuki to your place? My father has been taken to the emergency department." Sakura said as she rose from the couch and rushed to get her bag together.

"Of course-whatever you need." Tomoyo replied.

"I'll see you soon then," Sakura replied quickly and ended the call.

She rushed to pull on her shoes and then hurried down to Hazuki's room. Careful not to wake her, Sakura lifted her from the bed and wrapped her warmest quilt around her.

The tired child mumbled in her sleep and curled into Sakura's warmth, but did not wake, much to her relief. She switched off the lights on her way out and locked the door, then buckled Hazuki into the car before sliding into the front seat to start the engine. As she drove, she made a mental note to send a text to Syaoran once she got to either Tomoyo's house or the hospital.

Tomoyo opened the front door as Sakura pulled up the driveway and hurried out.

"I'm sorry for the sudden request." Sakura apologised as she handed Hazuki over to Tomoyo.

"Don't apologise-if there's anything you need, name it." Tomoyo answered as she took Hazuki into her arms.

"I need to call Syaoran..." Sakura murmured as she looked for her phone.

"Fuck."

"What's wrong?" Eriol asked as he joined the two women.

"I forgot my phone back home." Sakura said.

"Do you want to borrow mine?" Eriol offered, holding his phone out to her.

"Thank you, Eriol," Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She dialled Syaoran's number and waited patiently for him to pick up, fidgeting anxiously.

"Hello?" Syaoran answered.

"Syaoran, it's me." Sakura breathed, her voice a bit shaky.

"What's wrong?" he asked immediately sensing something was off.

"I have to go to the hospital-Hazuki is with Tomoyo and Eriol."

"What?! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine-my father is sick. I just felt you should know." She said quickly, "I really have to go-I'll explain everything later."

"Of course. Stay safe." Syaoran answered.

She said a quick goodbye before ending the call and gave Eriol his phone back.

"Thank you-I'll let you know how things go." She said as she slid back into her car.

Then, she backed out of the driveway and made her way to the hospital.

She tried not to make a mad dash through the car park to the emergency department, but the fear took over her feet instead. She made her way up to the receptionist, "My father was brought in earlier-his name is Fujitaka Kinomoto. I'm his daughter."

The nurse nodded, "Please wait one moment-a nurse will escort you through in a minute."

Sakura nodded and stepped back, her heart pounding in her chest. A few moments later, the door opened, and a nurse walked over to Sakura.

"Are you mister Kinomoto's daughter?" she asked kindly.

Sakura nodded.

"Please come right this way."

The nurse led her through to a private room where her father was resting in a bed, sleeping.

"Dad-!"

"He had a stroke," the nurse explained, "He will be okay. He's stable and we're running a few tests to make sure there's nothing else happening."

"Thank you." Sakura replied.

Another nurse came around the corner, followed by someone Sakura was not expecting.

"Syaoran?"

"This man claims he's your boyfriend. Is it okay for him to stay?" The other nurse asked.

Sakura nodded, "Yes, of course."

"I'm sorry for coming-I was worried." He confessed.

Sakura shook her head telling him it was okay before collapsing into his frame, taking him by surprise. He wrapped his arms around her as her frame shook with each sob. He glanced up as he spotted a familiar face making their way towards them.

"Sakura," Touya breathed with relief.

Sakura turned her head while remaining in Syaoran's embrace and spotted Touya glaring at Syaoran.

"The hospital called you too?" Sakura croaked.

Touya's attention snapped back to Sakura and he nodded. "Yeah, they said he'd collapsed."

"He had a stroke." She replied, "They're running some more tests, but they think he'll be fine."

Touya ran his fingers through his hair. "Dad's always been so healthy... I just..."

Sakura stayed silent, not wanting to add on to his sentence. But he was right-their father had never had issues with his health, so it was a huge shock when they had gotten a phone call from the hospital.

"I'm going to go sit with him." Sakura murmured as she moved to open the door to the hospital room. Syaoran was about to follow her but Touya stopped him.

"Why are you here?" he growled.

Syaoran ignored the animosity in Touya's voice. This was no time to be getting into a fight.

"I came as quickly as I could after she called." Syaoran replied, "I'm just here to support her."

Touya looked at him sceptically, but he said no more and just nodded. Syaoran silently moved to stand at Sakura's side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

They waited in silence, the clock ticking away in the background. A nurse would come in every now and again to update them on any progress or to check on Fujitaka, who was still sleeping. By midnight, Sakura was struggling to stay awake.

"Sakura, why don't you go home and sleep? I'll call you if anything happens." Touya suggested.

Sakura shook her head, "I'm staying."

Touya rolled his eyes.

A small groan sounded from next to them. Sakura looked over to find Fujitaka had finally woken up, though he was very confused.

"Oh-Sakura, Touya. What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Dad, you're finally awake!" Sakura smiled with relief.

"The doctors said you had a stroke." Touya said, "How are you feeling?"

"Ah... I'm sorry I worried the two of you so much." He apologised. "And who is this young man...?"

"Oh-Dad, this is Syaoran, my boyfriend." Sakura explained.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Syaoran spoke.

"I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances." Fujitaka apologised kindly, "Thank you for looking after my daughter."

Sakura blushed a little, but their moment soon came to an end as the doctor walked in.

The doctor smiled, "How are you feeling, Mister Kinomoto?"

"I feel okay, I think." Fujitaka furrowed his brow.

"Alright, we'll check your feeling and movement in a second, but we have found something in the scans we did of your brain." The doctor began.

Sakura felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach.

The doctor continued, "We've detected a tumour growing in your brain," he explained, "Unfortunately, due to the size and location, it's too late to operate."

Sakura felt tears sting her eyes, and Touya looked at his feet hiding his expression.

Fujitaka, however, just smiled sadly. "How long do I have?"

"Well... probably a year at most."

"I see... thank you, doctor." Fujitaka replied kindly.

"I will leave you with your family for now. I will come back to see you tomorrow. We'd like to keep you in for a few days while we run some tests."

"Thank you."

The room fell silent as the doctor left. Sakura tried to stop herself from crying, but her tears ran free anyway. Syaoran squeezed her shoulder gently to offer her some support and reassurance, anything that might help even a little bit.

"Please don't be sad." Fujitaka said, continuing to smile.

"How can we not be?" Sakura sobbed, "You're our father!"

She shifted so that she was on the edge of the bed and hugged him, sobbing into his shoulder. Fujitaka held his daughter, stroking her hair gently in a soothing manner.

Syaoran began to feel like he was intruding as he watched the scene before him, so he turned to leave to give the family some space.

"I'll be back-I'm just going to get some drinks." He said.

"You don't have to leave." Fujitaka told him kindly. "Please, stay."

Syaoran's eyes widened in surprise, but then he relaxed and nodded, remaining by Sakura's side.

...

After arguing with her father about her staying at the hospital for a solid ten minutes, Sakura finally conceded defeat. As she and Syaoran walked out of the hospital, she turned to Syaoran who gave her a soft look.

"Is it okay for me to ask for you to stay at my place tonight...? I don't want to be alone." She asked, her voice trembling.

"Of course. Do you feel up to driving? I can always bring you back tomorrow to get your car." Syaoran replied.

"I'll drive. I don't really want to pay a fortune for parking." She answered.

After a minute of thinking over her answer, he nodded.

"I'll meet you at your place."

"Thank you." She whispered.

Upon arrival at her house, the two both headed to her bedroom where Sakura crawled into her bed beside him. Neither of them said anything in the dark. Syaoran didn't need to-he didn't know much about her relationship with her father, but regardless, she still loved him and was hurting after the news they'd found out. All he could do was support her, which was exactly what she needed. So, he simply held her as they both drifted off to sleep.

...

Tomoyo's eyes watered as Sakura finished telling her the news about her father. Having grown up with Sakura her entire life, Fujitaka was like the father that she never got to have, so the news hit her just as hard as it had Sakura.

"Oh Sakura..." she whispered as she sat down on the couch beside her, pulling her into a hug.

They stayed like that for what felt like a long time, until Tomoyo finally spoke again, though her own voice was a little strained.

"Will he be moving in with you or Touya?"

Sakura shook her head. "We had an argument about it this morning when I went to see him. He said he refuses to cause us any further burdens, so he is going to get a personal nurse. We tried telling him it was no problem, but he just smiled and said he'd already made up his mind..." she explained with a sad smile, "That's just like dad."

"Oh Sakura..."

"Dad wants to have lunch with me and Syaoran on Saturday. Would you mind watching Hazuki for a few hours...?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Of course-if there's anything I can do to help, just name it." Tomoyo smiled.

"Speaking of Hazuki... I think she's still mad at me." Sakura sighed.

"She'll come around soon." Tomoyo said, "I'm sure Syaoran will convince her."

"I hope so... I didn't like having to leave her without telling her, but you know how she sleeps." Sakura sighed.

"She is stubborn." Tomoyo agreed. Sakura groaned.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Hazuki sat pouting on Syaoran's knee while he talked with Eriol. Earlier, he had told Eriol about what had happened with Fujitaka after Hazuki had a meltdown with Sakura for leaving her. Syaoran had felt it best to keep them in different rooms for a while until she had calmed down, but it had been over an hour already. It seemed kids could really hold grudges.

"Are you ready to see your mum yet?" Syaoran asked her.

Hazuki shrugged.

"Do not shrug. I asked you a question." He spoke sternly.

Hearing his cold tone was a bit of a shock to Hazuki, who was used to his warm and kind words.

"No!" she said.

Eriol looked to Syaoran who was losing his patience due to his complete lack of sleep and everything that had been happening since the night before.

"Hazuki," Eriol spoke gently, "We know you're upset, but your mother would have not done what she did if it were not an emergency."

Hazuki did not budge.

"Your mum needs you more than ever," he continued, "This is a chance to show how grown up you are."

Hazuki's shoulders eased a bit, but she was still a bit upset, though Syaoran had expected that.

"Do you need more time before going to her?" Syaoran asked her with a softer tone.

Hazuki shook her head and slid off his knee, heading towards the lounge room where Sakura and Tomoyo were.

"You should have heard her this morning when she woke up to find she wasn't at home with her mum." Eriol said, "She was _not _happy."

"Hopefully she'll forget about it." Syaoran murmured, "Sakura and I didn't get much sleep last night. I think we got to her place at around three."

"I can't even imagine how Sakura and Touya are feeling... Things between her and her brother are already rough as is, but now with this..."

Syaoran was not sure what to say in response, but thankfully he didn't have to as Sakura and Tomoyo walked in with Hazuki holding Sakura's hand.

"We need to head home...I have some things I want to get done before going into work tomorrow." Sakura said, "Thank you for looking after Hazuki last night."

"It was no problem." Eriol smiled as he stood to give her a hug.

Sakura smiled gratefully and then turned her head to meet Syaoran's gaze. He stood from his seat and picked up his keys, as he was the one who had driven.

"Okay." He smiled.

Tomoyo walked with them to the door and smiled at Sakura, "I'll see you at work."

Sakura returned her smile, "Thanks, Tomoyo."

Sakura then looked at Hazuki, who was still sulking, and sighed gently before heading to the car.

The drive home was quiet. As Syaoran pulled up Sakura's driveway, he glanced up at his rear-view mirror to see Hazuki was sound asleep in her seat.

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked Sakura.

"If you're not busy... I don't really want to be alone right now." Sakura confessed.

Syaoran smiled, "Okay."

A look of relief passed over her face and she moved to get out of the car. He followed, waiting as Sakura pulled Hazuki out of the back seat, and then locked the car when she shut the door.

Once inside, Sakura put Hazuki to bed and returned to the kitchen to find Syaoran had made her a hot cup of tea.

She smiled tiredly, "Thank you."

"What do you want for dinner?" he asked.

She blinked. "Huh?"

"I'll cook for you." He answered, "So do what you need to do before work tomorrow-I'll help with the house."

"I can't ask you to do that-"

"I want to."

Sakura stood speechless with a small blush across her cheeks. She put down her cup of tea and walked around the bench to hug him, grateful to have him with her in such a difficult time.

"Thank you."

...

Fujitaka had insisted on having the young couple over for lunch instead of going out to a restaurant or cafe for the afternoon, despite Sakura's concern that she would be causing too much trouble. He had laughed it off, telling her that he wanted to and that it was no trouble at all.

Sitting in the lounge, Sakura ran her eyes over the familiar family photographs. Syaoran sat next to her, also eyeing the photos with interest. He spotted the woman he assumed was Sakura's mother-she was beautiful with her oval shaped face and brilliant green eyes, which were framed by long dark lashes. Her lips were a soft pink and her hair fell in waves down over her shoulders.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Sakura said.

"She is." Syaoran answered. "You look just like her."

"Indeed, she does." Fujitaka smiled warmly as he entered the room carrying a tray with a teapot and three teacups.

He set it down on the coffee table, then began pouring tea.

"Thank you." Syaoran said as Fujitaka handed him his teacup.

"I'm glad my daughter has finally found someone," Fujitaka continued, "I've been worried."

Sakura blushed. "Dad, please."

"She's told me a lot about you." He then added.

Sakura felt her cheeks turn a deeper shade of red. Syaoran raised his brow with surprise.

Fujitaka chuckled, "Don't worry-it's all been good things."

Syaoran smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

"I told dad about us during one of our phone calls the other week." Sakura admitted.

"I must confess, a was a little worried at first, but after hearing how much she loves you, my concerns disappeared." Fujitaka smiled.

"Thank you for trusting me." Syaoran replied. "I promise I won't betray it."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Sakura felt like she was about to be married off with the way the conversation was going.

"So, you lived over in Hong Kong?" Fujitaka asked.

Syaoran nodded. "I came to Japan to study in university some time back. That's how I met Eriol and Yamazaki."

"Did you study a fine arts course?" Sakura then asked. She had never asked him about how he met Eriol and the others before-it had never come up in conversation.

He shook his head. "I was studying medicine, like my parents wanted me to, but then I swapped courses without telling them after first year."

"Why didn't you pursue a career in medicine?" Fujitaka asked curiously.

Syaoran smiled, "The only reason I studied it was to shut my parents up."

Fujitaka raised his brow. "You didn't want to study it." He stated.

Syaoran shook his head. "My family are all really well known in the medical field. They wanted me to continue carrying on the family name by studying medicine as well, but that was never what I wanted."

"Art is what you love." Sakura smiled softly.

"Sakura never really got much of a chance to explore her career options either." Fujitaka said regretfully.

"Dad, I told you-I _chose_ this." Sakura replied adamantly.

"I know, but you still had pressure from your mother's side of the family." Fujitaka replied.

"It's true that part of the reason I chose to take on the company was because of mums family, but when I really think about it, I wanted to keep it-it's like a gift that mum gave me." Sakura smiled. "It's the closest thing I have to her."

"Well, when you put it like that, there's really nothing I can say." Fujitaka laughed. "What's important is that you love your job."

"Which I do." Sakura smiled brightly as she rose from her seat, "I'll be back in a moment."

"Okay."

Fujitaka smiled as he watched Sakura leave the room, leaving him with Syaoran. Syaoran felt his phone vibrate in his pocket but ignored it-he could answer it later.

"You're Hazuki's father, are you not?" Fujitaka asked warmly.

Syaoran looked up, startled at first, but then relaxed. "How did you know?"

"She resembles you a lot, and her eyes are the same as yours." Fujitaka confessed, "I don't know what happened between the two of you back then-it's not my business-but I'm glad you're finally back at her side. She seems a lot freer compared to before, like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders."

Syaoran's eyes widened a little. She really had not told a single soul about how he was Hazuki's father over the last four years. He had not realised that extended to her father as well.

He smiled. "Thank you."

"I worry about her," Fujitaka confessed, "She's always so focused on caring about others, that she forgets to care for herself."

"I can see how that would happen." Syaoran grimaced, making Fujitaka laugh.

Sakura returned a few moments later, seating herself back down beside Syaoran.

"What's Hazuki up to today?" Fujitaka switched topic.

"She's with Tomoyo and Eriol-they're going to the museum." Sakura replied, "They have a new dinosaur exhibit."

"I bet Hazuki is really excited about that."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "She wouldn't stop talking about it last night. She was so excited; she was bouncing off the walls."

"How long did it take to get her to bed?" Syaoran asked.

"A little over an hour." She replied.

Fujitaka laughed. "You used to be like that when you were her age."

"I'm sorry." Sakura groaned, making Syaoran and Fujitaka laugh again.

"Touya used to tuck you in when you tired yourself out. You were both very close in your childhood."

Sakura smiled sadly and lowered her eyes, avoiding eye contact.

"I know the two of you aren't getting along right now, but before I inevitably leave, I want to see the two of you make up with each other."

Sakura stayed silent for a long time. It was cruel for her father to use his illness to manipulate her like this, and the worst part was that it was working. She didn't want her father to die with regrets or knowing that his children weren't talking to each other. She wanted to feel angry, but she could not bring herself to summon the emotion.

"...I'll think about it." Sakura whispered.

Fujitaka smiled sadly. The answer would have to do, for now.

...

Hazuki was exhausted by the time she got home that evening, sleeping in Tomoyo's arms. It was after dinner, so it was not a total surprise, Sakura decided.

"Let's get her into bed." Sakura smiled as she let Tomoyo and Eriol inside and away from the cold.

Syaoran appeared from the lounge room and the pair smiled.

"Hey Syaoran." Tomoyo greeted with a whisper as she passed, following Sakura down to Hazuki's room.

Sakura tucked Hazuki in nice and snug, smiling as she brushed some stray strands of hair from her face, then left the room and closed the door behind her.

They joined Syaoran in the kitchen, who was drinking coffee with Eriol.

"How was she today?" Sakura asked.

Tomoyo smiled, "She was great-though she seemed a bit agitated at one point." She confessed. "How did lunch go today?"

"It was good-he and Syaoran get along really well." Sakura smiled.

"That's always a bonus." Eriol laughed.

"If only a certain someone felt the same way." Sakura muttered bitterly, thinking of Touya.

Tomoyo gave her a sympathetic look, wishing she could help in some way.

_'Maybe I could...'_ she thought to herself suddenly.

"I haven't spoken to the girls much lately-We should all catch up sometime." Sakura switched topic.

"That sounds like a good idea. Maybe we can all go out for lunch together sometime." Eriol suggested.

"Maybe I can see if dad would like to take Hazuki for a few hours one weekend." Sakura murmured thoughtfully.

"I like the sound of having lunch together. Or maybe even dinner." Tomoyo added, "How about I message them and find out?"

"Sure, sounds awesome." Sakura smiled.

"Well," Eriol sighed, "We better head off."

"Stay safe on your way home." Sakura spoke as they walked to the front door.

"Thanks, we will. Goodnight you two."

"Thanks guys." Syaoran replied.

Sakura waited until the couple had left before closing the door, shivering a little from the cold.

"Would you like to watch a movie?" she asked Syaoran.

"Do I get to choose?" he asked playfully.

"Only if you beat me to the lounge." She said as she ducked around him, speeding towards the lounge room.

"Hey!" he laughed as he chased after her. He managed to catch her, and she wriggled in his arms, laughing.

"Syaoran, that tickles!" she laughed.

"I'm the first one in the lounge room." He replied as he stepped over the threshold with her still wriggling against him.

"Fine-you win." She conceded defeat.

Syaoran gave her a smug grin before walking over to the DVD rack to search for something to watch.

Sakura seated herself on the couch, waiting for him to choose-he picked a DVD from the shelf and put the disc in the player before joining Sakura on the couch. She leant her head against his shoulder as he wound his arm around her shoulders, both of them relaxing as the movie started.

...

Normally, Tomoyo wouldn't meddle in any of Sakura's relationships whether it be family or friend, but when it came to being stubborn, Sakura and Touya were just as bad as each other. She needed to get it through Touya's head that he couldn't ridicule each and every decision Sakura made, and since Yukito couldn't seem to do that, perhaps having the person he would least expect to yell at him would open his eyes.

They had agreed to meet at a local cafe; she had arrived earlier than planned, so she had ordered herself a hot cup of coffee while she waited.

Not long after, Touya arrived and sat down in the chair across from her.

"It's not like you to call me out of the blue like this." Touya greeted.

"You're right, it's not." Tomoyo replied, "Are you going to order?"

"I ordered a coffee just before." He said. "It should be here soon."

She nodded, "How is Yukito?"

"He's the same as ever." Touya shrugged, "His teaching is going well."

She smiled, "Good to hear."

Touya's coffee arrived. He picked it up and lifted the mug to his lips to drink, then placed it back down again.

"Okay Tomoyo, why did you really call me out here?" Touya asked, getting straight to the point.

"It's about Sakura." Tomoyo answered.

"Is she okay? Has that bastard done something to hurt her?" Touya demanded.

Tomoyo sat back in her chair. "Sakura is fine." She said, "That attitude of yours is what's driving her away, you know."

Touya frowned. "Pardon?"

Tomoyo felt a twinge of irritation. "Your attitude towards her is why she's so incredibly furious with you."

"This isn't any of your-"

"Touya Kinomoto, you will _listen_, and you _will listen_ well." Tomoyo cut across him, her gaze like ice. "Never, never in my wildest dreams would I ever meddle like this, but I'm sick and tired of watching. If Yukito cannot make you listen, then maybe I can."

Touya was visibly shocked by Tomoyo's sudden change in demeanour. Not once in his life of knowing her had he ever seen her wear such an expression. Tomoyo had always watched as Sakura worked through her problems while giving her support.

"I've watched Sakura from the moment she found out she was pregnant, through her pregnancy and up till now, and the way you have treated her is quite frankly, shit."

Touya frowned, "Hold on a-"

"No. Every time you ridiculed Sakura about her choices, she ended up in tears afterwards. You never showed her any kind of support-the support she needed from her brother-in the times she was struggling." Tomoyo stated calmly, "When was the last time you actually stopped to listen to her?"

Touya was speechless. Tomoyo's tone was not aggressive, but it was not soft either. She was being calm, yet firm with him. It felt like he was being scolded by his own mother.

When he did not answer, she continued. "Sakura told me about how you showed up at her door, took one look at Syaoran and had a go at her." She said gently, "That was cruel, Touya."

He frowned irritably. "I don't trust the guy."

"Did you even bother to try? You took one look at him and that was it." Tomoyo pointed out, "Not only was it unfair to Sakura, but it was also rude to Syaoran."

Touya sighed heavily. "So, your point is that I'm an asshole."

"Yes."

She did not bother to mince words.

"Fine. Message received." He scoffed.

"Touya, I'm only here because I know Sakura is still hoping deep down that the two of you can patch things up. If you really want her to let you in again, think hard on what I've told you today." Tomoyo said as she stood.

When Touya did not reply, she turned and left. She really hoped that her words would sink in, for Sakura's sake.

* * *

**What did you guys think about the chapter? I guess there's a lot happening in it, isn't there? **

**As usual, I will try to get the next chapter up soon-no promises though. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me through the story this far, you're amazing! **

**See you soon :)**


	12. Standing Ground

**Hello! I was on the computer and managed to get this all edited and sorted. I've possibly missed some things so let me know if you find any :)**

**Thank you for your reviews! ^_^ I think this story has somehow ended up being a lot longer than i originally intended. I'm looking at all of the content on my phone at the moment and i'm like "Well." hahaha**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

As much as she didn't want to see or talk to her brother, Sakura forced herself to walk into the cafe they had both agreed to meet at. She had thought long and hard about what it would take to patch up their relationship, and she could not deny that she felt a certain degree of hope. He had reached out to her asking if they could meet at a cafe, and after her talk with Tomoyo the other night and the incident with her father, she felt that she could give him one more chance.

But just one.

The bell above the door rang as she pushed it open, and she glanced around, looking for any sign of her older brother. She spotted him sitting by the window reading a book, so she made her way over after ordering herself a caramel latte. Touya glanced up from the pages of his book as she approached and sat down across from him. He placed his bookmark between the pages and closed it, sliding the book back into his bag.

"Thanks for agreeing to meet during your lunch break." He said.

"I have an hour at most." She replied.

"Dad said you and your boyfriend had lunch with him the other day." Touya started.

"Yes, we did." Sakura answered, "Dad and Syaoran get along really well."

"Figures. Dad gets along with everyone." Touya shrugged and picked up his strawberry milkshake, sticking the straw in his mouth.

Sakura frowned at his tone. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Dismiss that dad _actually_ likes Syaoran." She said.

"Well dad doesn't know him well enough yet."

"Neither do you, and you hate him for no reason." She snapped, "If you want to be a part of my life, you have to get to know Syaoran and stop treating me like a child."

Touya frowned, "How long have you even known him for? Like, four weeks?"

Sakura shot up from her chair, her eyes blazing with fury. "I am sick of your attitude. If you want anything to do with my life, you have to do it on my terms." She grabbed her bag and fished out her keys. "Goodbye, Touya."

"Sakura, wait-" he tried to stop her, reaching out to grab her hand, but she smacked it away.

"Call me when you've decided to stop being a jerk." She snarled, then stormed out of the cafe.

As she stormed over to her car, her phone rang.

"What?" she snapped as she answered without checking the number.

"...Sorry, did I call at a bad time?" Syaoran asked hesitantly.

All of the anger Sakura felt faded away. "Sorry Syaoran... I didn't check to see who was calling." She confessed.

"Did something happen at work?" he asked with concern.

"No, it's not work related... remember how I told you I was having lunch with my brother today?"

"I remember. I'm guessing it didn't go too well?"

"No... He still thinks I'm making poor life choices." She replied.

"Dating me?"

"I'm sorry."

She heard Syaoran snort. "I guess I'll have to prove I'm not a poor life choice, then."

Sakura raised her brow in amusement. "You don't seem terribly bothered about the situation." She giggled.

"It bothers me that he thinks so little of your ability to make your own choices." He replied honestly. "And I can't say I'm particularly thrilled about his harsh judgements about me, either."

Sakura felt herself blush and she smiled. "Thank you, Syaoran."

"Anytime."

"Before I go... was there anything you needed?"

"Oh yeah-I have a meeting with a client this afternoon, so I'll need to take Hazuki with me. I just wanted to let you know." Syaoran explained.

"Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it." She replied, "I hope your meeting goes well."

"Thanks Sakura. I'll see you later."

"Bye Syaoran."

Having ended the call, Sakura placed her phone back in her bag. Having spoken with Syaoran, Sakura found her mood was no longer as sour as it had been moments ago, which made the drive back to work a bit more pleasant than it otherwise would have been.

Tomoyo looked up from her desk as Sakura walked in. "I'm judging by the fact that you're back so soon, lunch didn't go so well?"

Sakura sighed heavily. "I told him he had no right to judge Syaoran because he barely knows him, and Touya basically called me a hypocrite."

Tomoyo raised her brow. "Oh."

"So, I haven't had lunch."

Tomoyo then stood, "I guess I'll just have to treat you then." She said as she walked around her desk and linked arms with Sakura.

Sakura smiled, "I don't deserve you."

"Nonsense. Now, let us get going."

The two women headed for the elevator to head to the ground floor. They left the building and headed to one of nearby food courts that were often frequented by office employees.

"What should we get today?" Tomoyo hummed. "I think I'd like a chicken salad and something sweet."

"I think I'll just get something plain." Sakura decided.

"Let's order then. Oh-did you get the paperwork done for the meeting this afternoon?" Tomoyo added.

Sakura nodded, "I did. I got it all done last night."

"You're always on top of everything." Tomoyo beamed.

Sakura burst out laughing, "Most of the time. You've seen me scramble before."

"Oh, have I?" Tomoyo said with mock confusion.

Sakura just shook her head and laughed.

...

Placing his pencil back behind his ear, Syaoran glanced up at the clock to see it was almost time to pick Hazuki up from kindergarten. He set himself to work on cleaning his paint brushes and rinsed out his water jars, set everything on a towel to dry, then grabbed his keys and locked up the house before heading out to the car.

Picking Hazuki up from kinder was starting to feel natural to Syaoran, like it had always been part of his life-that Hazuki had always been a part of his life-and he was getting used to his role as her father quickly. Though, it still did not ease the anxiety he felt every day about if he was a good parent.

The drive was quiet as usual. He pulled into a parking space outside the kindergarten and got out of the car, heading inside.

A few parents he recognised were standing at the door waiting. The children were all sitting on the mat in front of the teacher; one by one, the children were sent over to their parents, Hazuki among them.

"Daddy!" she hugged his legs with her huge childish grin on her face.

"Hey Huz. Did you have a good day?" he smiled.

"Yup!"

Syaoran took her hand and nodded to her teacher before turning to leave.

"What did you get up to today?" he asked.

"Me and Miki dressed up as superhero dinosaurs!" Hazuki chirped.

Syaoran burst out laughing. "And did you have superpowers?"

"Yes!" She continued, "Miki decoded she wanted to be an adult so she could eat ice cream before dinner."

Syaoran tried hard to contain his laughter. "And what was yours?"

"Turn everything into chocolate!"

_'If only that were possible.'_ He thought to himself.

"Daddy, can we get ice cream?" Hazuki then asked.

"It's freezing outside." He furrowed his brow.

"Please?" she pouted.

"Sorry Hazuki, maybe another day." Syaoran replied gently.

Hazuki continued to pout in her seat, but if there was something Syaoran had learned from Sakura, it was not to indulge her.

By the time they pulled up outside the building Syaoran needed to be at, Hazuki had forgotten about her want for ice cream.

"Where are we?" Hazuki asked as she hopped out of the car.

"It's a place people practice acting." He explained. "I have a meeting with someone."

She scrunched up her face. "A meeting?"

"Yes. I'm seeing someone about my art."

"Okay!" she beamed.

Locking the car, Syaoran took Hazuki's hand and headed for the front entrance of the building.

It was blessedly warm inside. Syaoran walked over to the reception, where the pretty young receptionist looked up with a smile. He watched her eyes as she looked him over, something he had gotten used to over the years.

"How may I help you?" she asked sweetly.

"I have a meeting with Mr Kano at 3:30." Syaoran replied, "My name is Syaoran Li."

The woman started typing on her keyboard and after a few clicks of the mouse, she smiled.

"If you just take a seat, he'll be out soon."

"Thank you."

He noticed the woman watching him as he walked over to the seats, and he did not miss the look of surprise when he lifted Hazuki up beside him. He felt a smug feeling of satisfaction seeing the disappointment on her face, knowing that he was in a relationship and had a daughter. Hazuki grinned up at him and he smiled.

A few minutes later, a tall lanky fellow with brightly coloured hair and teal eyes appeared with a grin on his face.

"Mister Li? The artist?"

Syaoran stood and Hazuki slid from her chair.

Mr Kano held out his hand for Syaoran to shake, and his eyes landed on Hazuki for a brief moment.

"Is this your daughter? She must be-she looks just like you." He said.

Syaoran nodded and took Hazuki's hand. "Yes, this is Hazuki."

"Ah, what a cute name. Come right through." Mr Kano turned, his eyes lingering on Hazuki for a second too long, and headed through a door which led to an office. Syaoran followed, sitting down in a chair in front of the desk while Hazuki climbed into hers. She looked around the room curiously, eyeing the shiny medals and brightly coloured photos and costumes.

"Thank you so much for coming in." Mr Kano began, "Ever since I first laid eyes on your work, I just knew I had to feature something in our upcoming show!"

"I'm flattered you think so highly of my work." Syaoran replied with a smile, "Would you mind if I asked what exactly it is you want me to do?"

"Of course-I'm looking for a mural to be painted as part of a backdrop. I want something bold and suggestive, something that will captivate everyone." He spoke.

Syaoran raised his brow. "And you are aware of my prices, correct? I'm sure my agent spoke to you about it."

"Oh yes, of course. Money is not an issue."

"Daddy, what's a mooral?" Hazuki asked.

"Mural," he corrected her, "It's artwork painted on a wall."

He didn't bother to go too deep into details with Hazuki-if he kept it simple, she would understand better. At least for now.

Mr Kano laughed, "Ah, she's very cute."

"When is the deadline?" Syaoran asked, wanting to divert the man's attention away from Hazuki. Something felt off about him but Syaoran could not place his finger on what it was.

"I need it in three months." Mr Kano replied, his eyes lingering on Hazuki for a moment too long.

Syaoran furrowed his brow. "I'll give you my answer in a few days. I need to discuss it with my girlfriend and my agent."

"Of course, of course! I'm eager to hear back from you."

"I'll review the paperwork you sent to Sid," Syaoran smiled, "I'll get back to you within three days."

He was eager to get Hazuki out of the place, but he did not completely understand why.

"I need to get going now-I have a few things I need to work on." Syaoran then added.

"Oh, of course. Ah, would your little one like a lollipop?" Mr Kano asked, opening the jar of lollipops sitting on his desk.

"No thank you." Hazuki replied with a smile, surprising Syaoran. "Mama says to never take sweets from strangers."

Mr Kano's eyes widened for a moment and then he burst into laughter.

"She's very smart. Well, I will see you later. Have a good afternoon, Mr Li. Thank you for coming."

Syaoran gave him a small smile and nodded before leaving the room with Hazuki, nodding to the receptionist as he left the building and headed back to the car.

"Daddy," Hazuki mumbled from the backseat as he drove to Sakura's house.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I'm tired."

He smiled, "We'll be home shortly."

"Okay..." she mumbled as her eyelids drooped.

Syaoran made a mental note to put her in bed when he got back to Sakura's and returned his focus to the road.

It was a quiet drive. Upon arrival at Sakura's, he carefully pulled Hazuki who was sound asleep from the car and closed the car door before locking it.

With one arm supporting Hazuki, he fumbled around for the house key Sakura had given him and unlocked the door. He carried her down to her room and tucked her into bed, then headed into the kitchen to make himself a hot cup of coffee. He sat down in the lounge room with his hot beverage and pulled out his phone; pulling up the Internet app, he typed Mr Kano's full name in and pressed go.

...

Sakura stretched her arms above her head as she finished the last of her work for the day. She was looking forward to getting home and seeing Hazuki and Syaoran after the day she'd had. She just wanted to go home and relax and forget about Touya and everything else that was happening. A soft knock sounded at her door. She looked up to see Tomoyo was ready to head home as well.

"Heading off?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah-what about you?" Tomoyo smiled.

"I just finished my work. Personally, I'm looking forward to getting home." Sakura sighed.

Tomoyo's smile widened. "The two of you are becoming really comfortable together. It's almost like it's natural for the two of you."

Sakura stood and gathered her things. "It does feel like we've been together for longer than we have." She confessed, "Hazuki still has her days, but she's adjusting really well."

"I'm happy for you." Tomoyo replied, "Who knows-maybe you'll be the next one to be married."

Sakura's cheeks turned red. "T-Tomoyo, we've only just started dating!"

Tomoyo laughed. "I'm just joking. Relax."

Once she got over her initial embarrassment, Sakura felt herself smile. "And what about you? Are you and Eriol planning to have any children yet?"

Tomoyo shifted her feet awkwardly. "We haven't spoken about that yet."

Sakura raised her brow. "But you want to?"

"Well, I do want to talk with him about it. But we just got married."

"I guess you're worried that it would feel like you're pushing things too fast." Sakura smiled sympathetically.

Tomoyo relaxed. "That's exactly how I'm feeling."

"There's no harm in talking to him about it. You don't have to have a child now-you can plan it for later." Sakura replied, "But...if you need to talk, I'm just a phone call away."

Tomoyo hugged Sakura. "You really are an amazing friend."

"Not as amazing as you. Now, let's get going so we don't get caught in the storm."

Together, the two women left the building and bid each other goodbye before heading their separate ways home. Sakura was grateful she had missed peak hour traffic, since she knew that everyone would be rushing to get home before the storm began. She pulled up the driveway just as it began and rushed inside away from the freezing cold.

"I'm home!" she called out.

Seconds later, Hazuki crash hugged her legs. "Mama!"

Sakura reached down and hugged her back. "Hey honey-how was kinder?"

Hazuki let go of her legs, allowing Sakura to shrug out of her coat and hang it up.

"Good!" she chirped.

Sakura noticed a mouth-watering smell in the air and followed it into the kitchen, where Syaoran was cooking.

"Welcome home." He smiled.

"Thank you-whatever you're cooking smells amazing." Sakura said as she wandered over.

Hazuki, however, ran back to the lounge room where she had been drawing at her table since she woke from her nap.

"It's nothing special," he smiled, "But it's good for a freezing cold night."

"Do you want to stay tonight? The storm has just started..." Sakura murmured.

"If you don't mind." He answered hesitantly, not wanting to impose.

Sakura felt a smile tug at her lips. "You're always welcome to stay."

Syaoran felt himself smile at her response. "Would you like a hot drink?" he asked.

"Tea would be wonderful, thank you." She sighed gratefully. "How did that meeting you had, go?"

Syaoran boiled the kettle and organised two mugs: one with tea and the other with coffee.

"Well... I guess it went okay, but..." he trailed off.

Sakura tilted her head in confusion.

"I decided I won't do it." He confessed.

Her eyes widened. "How come?"

"I felt something off about him when I was with him." He murmured, "Hazuki was with me. The way he looked at her was a bit unsettling."

Sakura furrowed her brow, listening as he continued.

"I thought I was just being paranoid, to be honest. I searched him up on the internet though and found out he had several cases of being accused of holding and distributing child porn and had accounts of sexually assaulting children." He murmured, "So I won't accept his commission."

Sakura just stared at him with wide eyes. Several moments passed as she said nothing, unable to find words for what was going through her head.

"Oh my goodness..." she whispered. "I'm relieved you noticed something was wrong."

"I am too. I spoke to Sid about it-he agreed that I shouldn't take it."

She nodded, lost in thought. Syaoran picked up her cup of tea and walked over to her, placing it down on the table before pulling Sakura in for a hug.

They said nothing for a long moment, then parted as Hazuki came bouncing into the room with a picture in hand.

"Oh? What do you have to show us?" Sakura asked curiously.

With a big grin on her face, Hazuki held up her picture. The picture hit the both of them as they laid eyes on it-Hazuki had drawn the three of them as a family. Syaoran recognised it as the one she had been drawing the other week in her sketch book.

"Oh honey... this is lovely." Sakura smiled.

"Can we put it on the fridge? Miki said her mum keeps her drawing on the fridge!" Hazuki chirped.

"Of course. Syaoran, what do you think?" Sakura turned to Syaoran who appeared to still be absorbing what had happened.

He smiled and nodded. "She's better than I was at her age."

"She takes after you. Are you surprised?" Sakura laughed as she walked over to the fridge and grabbed a magnet.

"Proud." He corrected with an amused smile.

"Good." She giggled, "it looks like dinner is just about ready... shall we eat?"

"Yes!" Hazuki said as she bounced over to the table.

Still smiling, Sakura moved to pull out plates while Syaoran got ready to dish out their meal. For the first time, it felt like they had been a family for a long time. A feeling Syaoran never thought he would experience until meeting Sakura again.

"Syaoran, didn't you mention that Sid had sent you information about various art galleries that were interested in exhibiting your work?" Sakura suddenly asked.

He looked up from his plate, "Yeah, I'm just not sure what to go with."

"Is there something holding you back?"

He shook his head, "No, it's not that. I think I'm just overwhelmed at the moment."

Sakura looked at him with concern. "Is everything okay with work?"

Syaoran smiled, "Everything is fine. But exhibits and such take so much time, and I think I just want to relax for a bit."

"That's fair. And there will always be more opportunities in the future." Sakura smiled, "Regardless, Hazuki and I will always be here for you, won't we?"

Hazuki grinned. "Yup!"

Syaoran felt a bit spoiled, having these two girls in his life. "Thank you," he replied, "I appreciate it."

...

Once Hazuki had been bathed and allowed a little time to play, Sakura put her to bed, which left her and Syaoran alone together. She found him channel surfing when she returned to the lounge. Smiling, she sat down beside him and leant her head on his shoulder.

"Nothing on tv?" she asked.

"Not really," he replied, "Is there anything you want to watch?"

"Hmm...we could watch a movie before going to bed?" she suggested. "I don't know what your tastes are though..."

"Pick something you like."

She pulled back and looked at him suspiciously. "Is this to make up for terrorising me with that horror film the other day?"

He laughed. "Sure, let's call it that."

Sakura glared at him playfully as she stood and walked over to the DVD shelf, picking something she hadn't watched in a while. After putting the disc in the player, she sat back down and leant into the comfort of his body.

The two of them were no longer paying attention to the movie playing on the tv by the end of it, both of them more preoccupied with each other. Sakura shivered as she felt his thumb brush the underside of her lace bra and across her ribs. They locked eyes and both knew they desired the other. Syaoran's mouth curved up into a smile.

"It must be time to move to the bedroom."

She returned his smile and sat up, leaning in to kiss him.

"Okay. Meet me there." She said huskily.

He raised his brow with amusement and stood from the couch, watching her for a minute. Smiling, she grabbed the hem of her top and pulled it over her head, revealing her white lace bra, and handed it to him.

"I'll be down soon." She whispered as she leant in, running her hand down the front of his jeans and cupping the bulge.

"Don't take too long." He answered, his voice a little strained.

Smiling, Sakura switched off the tv and sauntered over to the light switch, flicking it off, and then disappeared around the corner. Syaoran made his way down to her bedroom and turned on the lamp before stripping himself of his clothing. The cold air bit at his bare skin, so he opted to wait in her bed; she walked in moments later and closed the door, her smile still on her lips.

Slowly, with his eyes on her, she started unbuttoning her jeans and slid them gracefully down her legs. She stepped out of them, leaving her in just her bra and underwear. She watched as his eyes travelled over her body, waiting until his gaze returned to hers before she reached around and unhooked her bra, slowly sliding it from her arms to reveal her breasts. Her nipples hardened against the cold and goose bumps rose on her skin, begging for warmth.

Finally, she peeled her underwear down her shapely legs and discarded them on the floor, then proceeded to walk tantalisingly slow over to him.

Almost impatient, he pulled her onto the bed with him and claimed her lips with his. She kissed him back with just as much heated passion as they fumbled about until he was hovering over the top of her. She threaded her fingers through his hair and a small moan crawled up her throat as he cupped her breast, squeezing and massaging the soft mound beneath his fingers.

In turn, she reached between them and gripped his hardened member. A groan crawled up his throat and he thrust against her. Gently, she ran her thumb over the tip, smiling as she watched his face contort with pleasure.

'Two can play at that game.' He thought to himself as he brushed his fingers down over her stomach and between her legs. With a finger, he parted her nether lips and found her sensitive pearl. She gasped at his touch and wriggled against him, wanting his fingers inside her but he didn't comply. Instead, he slowly rolled the sensitive bundle of nerves beneath his finger.

Small breathy moans erupted from her mouth as he pulled her closer and closer to the edge, but just as she was about to come, he pulled his hand away.

She whimpered in protest as he lifted his hand to cup her cheek; her glazed emerald eyes begged him for more while his amber eyes shone with mischief and love.

"Stop teasing me," she breathed as she pulled him closer to her entrance.

He chuckled in her ear. "You started it."

"Syaoran..." she moaned his name impatiently.

Deciding it was time to stop playing games, he pushed aside her slick walls causing her to dig her nails into his back in response.

Carefully, he rocked his hips slightly to help her relax. She responded almost immediately, her body relaxing beneath his. She bucked her hips against his and taking that as a sign, he set a steady pace. Sakura arched her neck back and clutched his body as she met each thrust. The room was filled with breathy moans and beads of sweat began to form on their skin.

"Faster," she breathed in his ear.

Syaoran adjusted himself and began moving his hips faster, the new angle striking something deeper in Sakura.

Sakura buried her face in his neck as she tried not to let her moans escape her throat.

"H-harder," she begged, and he complied. The familiar sensation of a coil winding tighter and tighter formed in her lower abdomen with each thrust. Syaoran could feel that he too was on the brink, and as soon as her muscles clamped down around him, he came.

They both took a minute to catch their breath, gently caressing each other's faces and exchanging soft kisses.

Syaoran pulled the blankets up over their sweaty bodies and held Sakura close as they lay together, gently running his fingers through her hair.

She found his lips again and kissed him softly, parting with a smile.

"Good thing I have an electric blanket." Sakura said with amusement.

"It does help." He agreed, "To keep us warm, anyway."

"Hopefully Hazuki won't come in for a visit." She added. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"I haven't decided yet." Syaoran confessed, "I need to go down to the shops at some point and go home to get a clean change of clothes."

"You can leave a bag of clothes here in case of emergency, you know." She said.

"That sounds like a good idea." He murmured. "It's a good thing I keep a bunch of my tools in the car."

Sakura smiled. "You're never without a pencil or pen."

"Of course not." He laughed.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She sighed blissfully. "Have I inspired anything new tonight?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." He teased her as he leant into her neck and nipped her pulse.

Sakura smiled in amusement.

"I shouldn't keep you awake any longer." He murmured with a smile.

"Oh, you're no fun." She pouted despite feeling the tug of sleep at the edges of her brain. "Goodnight."

He reached over and turned off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness.


	13. Surprise Visits

**Hi guys :) here's the next chapter! As usual, thanks for everyone's support, it's greatly appreciated!**

* * *

Sakura woke with the intention of not disturbing Syaoran, only to find that he was already up and out of bed. She checked the clock to see that it was six a.m. but shrugged it off and headed for the shower.

After she had warmed up and dressed herself for work, she then headed out to the kitchen where she found Syaoran sitting at the table drinking coffee. In his other hand he was typing on his phone.

"Morning." Sakura mumbled tiredly.

He paused and looked up, giving her a smile. "Morning."

She walked over to the kettle and filled it with water before placing it back down to boil.

"Who are you talking to?" she then asked, merely curious.

"I'm replying to a bunch of emails I got. I've been neglecting them for a few days, to tell the truth." He confessed.

The kettle finished boiling, so she picked it up and poured the hot water into her mug. The smell of coffee drifted up and around her, filling the air.

"Any reason why?"

He shrugged. "Nothing major. I've just been a bit preoccupied with more important things."

Sakura felt herself smile. She could relate to that-she often found that she needed to set aside a specific time to get through her emails, otherwise she would never be able to get through them all.

"I guess the weather must be warming a little... the snow isn't as thick as it was." She murmured as she looked out the window.

"It's not long till spring." Syaoran replied. "That reminds me-when is your birthday?"

Sakura looked over with surprise. "Eh?"

He smiled with amusement. "You've never told me."

"Oh! It's the first of April." She replied. "So, I guess it's not far off."

Syaoran appeared to be lost in thought, but then he nodded and gave her a smile.

"You haven't told me yours either." She pointed out as she sat down.

"June 13th." He answered.

Sakura picked up her phone and immediately made note of it. "There. Now I can't forget."

He returned her smile and picked up his coffee, bringing the mug to his mouth. He placed it back down and then stood.

"What Would you like for breakfast?" he asked.

"Hmm...scrambled eggs in toast sounds pretty good right now." Sakura answered.

"Okay."

Syaoran started making breakfast for the two of them, moving around the kitchen and gathering what he needed as if it were a natural part of his life. Sakura watched with a content smile. She wished moments like these would last forever-that nothing would interrupt her family, but she also knew that that was wishful thinking.

Once she had eaten and finished getting ready for work, Sakura headed out the door and into the cold morning air. Syaoran watched her from the door, waiting until she was out of sight before closing it. Looking at the time, he saw it was only seven thirty, so he made his way into the lounge room to continue replying to his emails.

He was halfway through when he heard a thud, followed by crying.

Locking his phone, he stood and walked out and down the hall to find Hazuki had tripped over her own feet and hit the floor.

"Up you get." He said gently as he knelt down beside her.

Hazuki used her arms to push herself up into a sitting position and sobbed while Syaoran checked to make sure she was okay and wasn't seriously injured. She soon settled down, her sobbing turning into sniffling as she sat on the floor.

"Feeling okay?" Syaoran asked.

She nodded and got to her feet, wiping her eyes. Syaoran smiled.

"There we go. Let's get you some breakfast."

He stood and Hazuki ran past him and into the kitchen, pulling herself up to the table on her own.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Toast please!"

Syaoran nodded and moved to put some bread in the toaster for Hazuki. While he waited, he pulled out a glass and filled it with water to give to Hazuki, who thanked him.

"What do you want on your toast this morning?" he asked her.

"Honey!"

He smiled and got out the honey, spread some on her toast and then gave it to her to eat.

"Can I watch cartoons?" she asked.

"Eat your breakfast first." Syaoran replied.

Hazuki slumped her shoulders but did as she was told. She ate quietly, occasionally pausing to ask a question or say something to Syaoran. As soon as she finished breakfast, she hopped down from the table and ran into the lounge room.

While she watched her cartoons, Syaoran cleaned the dishes and wiped down the bench before sitting in the lounge with Hazuki.

"When this is finished, we need to get you dressed so that we can go out." He said as he sat beside her.

"Where are we going?" Hazuki asked.

"I need to go back to my house to get a few things, and then we need to go to the shops." He answered. "If you're good, I might buy you something."

"Okay!" she bounced excitedly in her seat and he couldn't help but smile.

Hazuki's show came to an end and she turned off the TV before taking off towards her bedroom. Syaoran stood and followed, finding her rummaging through her own clothes.

He had quickly gotten over the awkwardness of helping her dress after helping her several times already, and he didn't have a particularly hard time dressing her either. That came from the practice of dressing his nieces and nephews, so it was not foreign to him.

"You've decided what you want to wear?" he asked.

"Yup!" she held up a pair of woollen stockings, a cashmere skirt and a long sleeved top with little pink flowers printed all over it.

_'Thank god she has a fashion sense.'_ He thought to himself as he helped her out of her pyjamas.

"Arms up."

She lifted her arms for him, and he pulled her top on over her head and then down.

He then proceeded to effortlessly help her into her woollen stockings and skirt before he searched for a jumper that vaguely matched what she was wearing and helped her into that too.

"Where are your shoes?" he asked.

"Umm..." Hazuki turned and ran towards her wardrobe, sliding open the door and rummaged around for a bit before producing two completely different shoes.

He raised his brow with a smile. "Odd shoes?"

"I can't?" she asked.

"It's probably best not to. Where's your other brown shoe?" Syaoran responded.

"Here!" she bent down and picked up the matching brown shoe, then carried them over to Syaoran.

He unbuckled them and helped her into her shoes, then found her coat, beanie, scarf and gloves, but stopped when he spotted her tangled hair.

"Where's your hairbrush?" he asked.

"Over here!" Hazuki bounced over to her chest of drawers and grabbed her hairbrush off the top of it, and carried it over to him.

He took it and sat down on the edge of her bed, "Turn around."

She did as she was told. Gently, he started brushing through her hair with a practiced ease, getting rid of the knots in her hair so that it fell nearly down over her shoulders and back. He had not realised just how long her hair was, but it almost reached her lower back. Almost as if it were out of habit, he pinned some of her hair back before helping her into the rest of her garments.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yup!"

Grabbing his keys from the kitchen, he locked up the house and then they headed out.

...

Sakura groaned as she laid her head on the desk. She was feeling frustrated and exhausted after her meeting with some of the representatives of other companies, who were there to seek a possible collaboration with Amamiya Jewels. Which was fine, until one or two of the reps stated that they didn't want a jewellery collaboration with her company and were after something else entirely, like being interested in buying out her company.

Tomoyo placed a hot cup of coffee in front of her before she sat down in one of the chairs.

"That bad?" she asked.

"You have no idea. It took me two bloody hours to get through their thick skulls that I am not interested in selling the company!" Sakura complained, "I wonder what mum would have done..."

Tomoyo smiled sympathetically. "Well, it's unfortunate but at least they're gone now. On another note, the project we'll be featuring the artists artwork in is scheduled to start next month."

"Oh yeah? I'll have to let Syaoran know..." Sakura mumbled.

Tomoyo furrowed her brow. "Syaoran?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, he's the artist."

"Wow," Tomoyo gasped, "I didn't know."

"Neither did I until he told me a couple of weeks ago."

Tomoyo laughed, "That could be interesting. He's supposed to be working closely with you, after all."

Sakura sat up straight. "What?"

"I sent you the information last week, remember...? You were the one to come up with this idea."

Sakura groaned. "I completely forgot! How could I forget something like this...? I'm such an idiot!"

"Calm down," Tomoyo said calmly, "You've had a lot going on lately, so maybe it was just because of that."

"Maybe..." Sakura sighed heavily. "I guess after assigning a team to get the groundwork organised, it completely left my mind until now."

"I'm assuming Syaoran doesn't know." Tomoyo asked with amusement.

"He doesn't."

Tomoyo laughed, "Things are going to get interesting around here, then."

Sakura just groaned.

...

With a bag packed with clothes and having retrieved a few things from his studio, Syaoran made his way to the shopping centre with Hazuki. He needed to pick up a few new paints from the art store as well as canvases and paint brushes. He held Hazuki's hand as they made their way through the shopping centre and towards the art store, finding that there was a sale on all painting supplies.

"Daddy?" Hazuki asked, tugging on his hand.

"Yes?"

"Can we get something for mama?"

He looked over at her. "Is there something you had in mind?"

Hazuki frowned in thought, only to shrug seconds later.

"I don't know."

He smiled, "Alright, I'll have a think about it."

"Yay!" Hazuki grinned.

"Don't wander out of my sight." He told her as he started to gather the items he needed.

She never strayed too far away, usually only a few steps at most, and she quickly followed him to the counter where he paid for his things. Hazuki glanced over as a father and his son walked into the store; the little boy who appeared to be no older than Hazuki was holding an ice cream cone. She looked up at Syaoran wondering if they could get ice cream too.

"Daddy?"

Syaoran looked over. "What's up?"

"Can we get ice cream?" she asked.

"If we get ice cream, you can't get anything else today." He told her.

"I don't care." Hazuki replied.

He raised his brow. "You sure?"

She nodded.

Syaoran relented. "Alright."

Hazuki's face lit up. "Yay!" she shouted.

The cashier finished scanning everything and Syaoran paid, taking the bag that held his purchase while holding Hazuki's in the other.

She bounced along beside him as they made their way to the ice cream bar.

"What flavour do you want?" Syaoran asked her as she stared through the glass at the flavours.

"Chocolate!" She grinned. "Oh-can we get mama ice cream, too?"

"Is this her present from us?" Syaoran smiled with amusement.

"Yes!"

"Okay. What flavour should we get her?"

"Strawberry! That's what she always gets with me!" Hazuki chirped.

"Alright. Strawberry it is."

After finishing their ice cream, it was time to head home. Hazuki fell asleep on the way back which didn't surprise him given they'd been out for quite a while, but when he pulled up Sakura's driveway, he spotted someone standing outside Sakura's door. Feeling apprehensive, he got out of the car; the person turned around and he recognised the man as Sakura's brother, Touya.

But the feeling of unease did not go away. He knew how much Touya hated him and he didn't feel like being abused. Carefully, he pulled Hazuki out of the car before locking it, careful not to wake her, and made his way up to the door.

"How can I help you?" Syaoran asked in a low voice as he found his house key.

Touya raised his brow briefly as he saw the key, but then sighed heavily.

"Do you have time to talk?" Touya asked.

Syaoran observed him for a moment as he tried to figure out his motives. When he came to the conclusion that it really did just seem he wanted to talk, he nodded.

"I need to put Hazuki to bed first. You can wait in the kitchen if you want."

"Sure." Touya replied.

Syaoran pushed open the door with his shoulder and held it open for Touya before he quietly closed it, then headed straight down the hall to Hazuki's room. Once she was tucked in, he left her to sleep.

Upon entering the kitchen, Syaoran walked to the freezer to put the small tub of strawberry ice cream away, then moved over to the kettle and filled it up with water to boil.

"Would you like a drink?" Syaoran asked politely.

"Coffee would be great, thanks." Touya answered.

Syaoran set about making their drinks while Touya looked around the place, spotting the large painting Syaoran had gifted Sakura at Christmas in the lounge room.

"I didn't know Sakura had herself painted." Touya said.

"She didn't." Syaoran replied. "I painted that piece four years ago."

"Four years...?" Touya mumbled.

"After I returned to Hong Kong." Syaoran added.

Touya didn't say anything to that. After adding the milk, Syaoran carried the mugs over to the table and sat down.

"Thanks." Touya said, taking his drink.

"What is it you want to talk about?" Syaoran asked, getting straight to the point.

Touya glanced down at his coffee for a moment, wondering how he should begin. Syaoran waited patiently, lifting his mug to his mouth to sip his coffee.

"How is Sakura?" Touya finally asked.

Syaoran looked at the man seeing only concern for his sister.

"Well," Syaoran murmured, "She's pissed with you."

Touya sighed heavily. "As she should be. I haven't exactly made her life easy."

Syaoran stared at him.

"I...haven't given Sakura any of the support she needed, and in doing so, I ended up hurting her." Touya confessed.

"Why are you telling me this?" Syaoran asked.

"Because the reason I'm here is to start making amends with her... starting by doing as she asked of me and get to know you." Touya replied.

Syaoran eyed Touya curiously. He could see guilt etched into the mans features, making him wonder exactly what had happened between them.

"Sakura told me that you didn't want her to have Hazuki. Why?"

Touya looked surprised by the question. "I didn't think she was ready for children. And she refused to tell us who the father was, so we just assumed it was something she didn't like talking about or even want to remember."

"I imagine you jumped to the worst possible conclusion when you heard I was the father." Syaoran murmured.

"I apologise for that. Yukito made sure to give me a long lecture-I'm pretty sure he's still pissed." Touya smiled a little.

Syaoran remembered the man who had shown up on Hazuki's birthday to give her a birthday present.

"I suppose it's only natural." Syaoran murmured. "Sakura didn't want anyone else to know until she told me, if we ever met again. Though I imagine she was prepared to take the secret to the grave if we didn't."

"Are you only with Sakura and Hazuki out of duty?" Touya asked boldly.

Syaoran smiled, "No. I want to be part of their lives-of my daughter's life. I love Sakura."

Touya lowered his eyes after hearing those words. He really did feel despicable. He had alienated Sakura instead of trying to understand what she wanted or needed.

"Sakura... has had a rough time with boyfriends." Touya murmured.

"It was only natural you thought the same about me, then, I suppose." Syaoran shrugged.

"I'm sorry." Touya apologised. "She seems really happy with you-happier than I've ever seen her. She never smiled the way she does now with her past relationships."

Syaoran smiled, feeling a sense of pride knowing he was able to make Sakura happy.

"I'm sure she doesn't talk much about them, though." Touya added quietly.

"She doesn't." Syaoran confirmed, "I haven't asked her much about them either. I figured it wasn't really my business."

"I'm not surprised. She doesn't usually like to talk about them-who would?" Touya murmured.

"Yeah."

Touya smiled. "I'm trusting you not to hurt her like the others."

"I'm flattered." Syaoran replied as he finished his coffee. "I'll have a talk to Sakura about seeing you again. If she sees you making an effort, she might be willing to let you in again."

"I'd appreciate that." Touya replied awkwardly, "I imagine it will take a while to convince her though. I know how stubborn she can be."

"I can't make any promises. What she chooses to do is up to her entirely." Syaoran reminded him.

"Right. That's true." Touya murmured. "I better leave-there are some things I need to do."

Syaoran nodded, "I'll see you around, I guess."

"Probably. Take care of Hazuki and Sakura." Touya added, receiving a nod from Syaoran.

Syaoran saw him out the door, sighing heavily when he was alone. Glancing at the clock, he knew Hazuki would not be awake for another hour at least, so he decided he should use the time to do some work.

...

Sakura arrived home completely and utterly drained; Syaoran opened the door for her, seeing how tired she looked.

"You don't look so good. Did you have a bad day?" he asked as he closed the door behind her.

"That's one way to describe it." Sakura replied tiredly.

"Mummy!" Hazuki came running out of the lounge room and crashed into Sakura's legs, hugging her the same way as always.

Sakura knelt down and gave Hazuki a long hug. "Hi sweetie-did you have a good day?"

"Yeah! Guess what? Guess what?" Hazuki bounced excitedly.

Sakura raised her brow. "What?"

"Today, we got ice cream! And we got you some, too!" Hazuki said.

Sakura looked over at Syaoran who gave her a smile.

"Thank you, Sweetheart. What flavour did you get me?" she smiled as warmth spread through her body-the kind that one would feel when surrounded by their family after a particularly hard day.

"Strawberry!" Hazuki grinned proudly.

"Aww, you two are spoiling me with my favourite ice cream?"

"Yup!"

"Oh, I love you two." Sakura said as she pulled Hazuki in for another hug, squeezing her gently before letting her run back to the lounge.

Sakura stood and walked over to where Syaoran was, leant up and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." She smiled gratefully.

He returned her smile as he slid his arm around her waist. "Sit and relax."

"Fine, fine." She rolled her eyes playfully and moved out of his way so that he could finish making dinner.

As she sat down at the table, Syaoran's phone rang. He pulled out his phone and furrowed his brow before answering it.

"You don't normally call me at this hour." He said.

"Well hello to you too, brother." Feimei retorted. "Where are you?"

"I'm at Sakura's. Why?" He replied.

"We're in Japan! We thought we'd surprise you, but you're not home." She said.

"You should have told me." Syaoran sighed. "Do you have somewhere to stay?"

"Yeah-we're staying at a hotel." Feimei replied.

"Daddy!" Hazuki giggled.

"Daddy? What?" Feimei clearly sounded confused and Syaoran knew what was coming.

"Hazuki, he's on the phone." Sakura murmured from where she was sitting.

"Syaoran, what-"

"I'll call you tomorrow to arrange something." He said, and then ended the call.

Sakura raised her brow, "Is something wrong?"

"That was Feimei." Syaoran answered, "She and my other sisters are here in Japan."

"Do you need to go home? I can finish up-"

Syaoran shook his head, "I told them I'd call tomorrow, so don't worry." He smiled.

Sakura sighed gently and then returned his smile, "If you say so."

Dinner went by, Sakura helped Hazuki with her bath and then put her to bed by seven thirty. When she returned to the lounge, Syaoran was waiting for her and her explanation. She sat down and he weaved his fingers with hers.

"Talk to me." He said softly.

She sighed softly. "You know those days where everything just piles up and gradually gets worse?"

He grimaced. "Ah. Those are the worst."

She nodded. "It started off with the meeting I had to attend in the late morning; there were a few representatives of other companies that were hoping to convince me to sell the business. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with them, either."

"So, they're just being persistent pests?" He asked.

She nodded. "Pretty much... so after the meeting, I had to do some design work on my computer, only for the program to completely crash so I lost all of my progress."

Syaoran squeezed her hand. He knew how frustrating and depressing it was when something that had taken a lot of time and effort was suddenly lost or completely ruined.

"You weren't able to recover any of it?" he asked sadly.

"No," she replied, "I lost everything."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"To top it off, the whole server crashed not long after." Sakura added.

"Fuck."

She nodded, "Yeah..."

Syaoran pulled her in for a hug which she gratefully returned; a simple hug from both Hazuki and Syaoran was enough to help her feel a little better about her day.

"Thank you," she whispered.

...

Syaoran's sisters all stared at him expectantly from where they sat on his couch, drinking hot cups of tea. He had been expecting them to bombard him with questions after what they had heard last night, but he didn't know how to explain everything to them. He sighed heavily. He would just have to tell them the truth, and so he did.

"Back when I came to Japan for Chiharu and Yamazaki's wedding, I met Sakura for the first time." He explained, "We... spent the night together, and she left me her details to contact her... but I never did because I was worried about bothering her."

He continued, "Anyway, we met again at Tomoyo and Eriol's wedding, and she had Hazuki with her. She wanted to talk with me, so we had a discussion-she told me about Hazuki, and we both talked about why we didn't contact each other."

Silence filled the air when he finished, and he was unable to meet their eyes. He did not want to delve into all of the details, but they didn't seem to mind.

The sisters all looked at each other, exchanging looks before Feimei turned her attention to Syaoran.

"You're not in a relationship with her out of some sense of duty, are you?" she asked.

He frowned and shook his head. "You know I would never do that."

"We're just worried-it's so sudden... and you only just moved here in December..."

"Sakura isn't the type to blackmail or force others into doing something they don't want." Syaoran spoke coldly.

"You don't have to be angry-we believe you." Fanren said, "And we won't tell mother or father-but you know... you'll have to at some point."

Shiefa sighed heavily, "They're gunna freak when they find out."

"No kidding," Fuutie agreed.

"Well, we can leave that for another time." Feimei added, "When can we meet Sakura and our niece?"

"I'll have to see when she's free, but we might be able to do something on Saturday. Sakura and I are having lunch with her dad on Sunday." Syaoran replied.

"Great!" the four sisters beamed.

"How long will you guys be in Japan for? Maybe we can organise a day to go out for lunch or do something." Syaoran suggested.

"We're here for another three weeks. We won't bother you too much-there are some things around here we want to see." Fuutie replied.

Syaoran smiled. "Thanks. How's the pregnancy going? Are you feeling okay?" he then asked Fanren.

Fanren smiled, "Things are going fairly smoothly so far, which I'm happy about."

"That's good to hear." Syaoran smiled.

"How's your art going? Can we see?" Shiefa then asked.

"Oh-sure. This way." Syaoran stood and led them to his studio where he showed them his latest works and what he was currently working on. He was a little relieved that they did not pry any further about what had happened between him and Sakura, as he knew that sometimes they could be quite chatty. He guessed that the reason they had not was because they knew that fact, and they didn't want their parents harassing him over yet another thing.

As usual, they marvelled over his work as they chatted about it, reminding Syaoran of his years in university when they would often check in on his work as well as how he was doing.

It reminded him how grateful he was to his sisters who had done nothing but support him and were still supporting him.

Sisters that he could always rely on.

Unlike his parents.


	14. Self Deception

**Hello again :) Thank you for your kind comments and words on the previous chapter-I really appreciate them! **

**I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I can't put a finger on what it is that's bothering me about it, so if you pick up on anything or feel anything could be better, please let me know! **

**I hope everyone is doing as Okay as whatever "ok" is for people right now. Wishing you all the best from here in Australia!**

* * *

Syaoran and Sakura cuddled under the warmth of their blankets in bed while he told her about the day he had spent with his sisters. She listened with a smile as he talked about how he had to explain that he had a daughter, and their inevitable surprise and shock. From the sounds of it, they were worried about him, which was only natural. After all, he hadn't been in Japan for very long and he already had so much going on, it was mind boggling.

"I'd love to meet them." Sakura confessed.

Syaoran smiled. "They want to meet you too." He said, "Are you busy on Saturday?"

"I'm meeting up with the girls for brunch-but in the afternoon and for dinner, I'm completely free." She smiled.

"You and the girls haven't gotten together in a while. It will be nice to catch up with everyone." Syaoran said softly.

"Yeah-I'm looking forward to it, to tell the truth." Sakura confessed. "Why don't you bring your sisters over for dinner on Saturday?"

He furrowed his brow. "Are you sure? We could do it at my place instead if you want..."

"It's fine!" she grinned, "I just don't know what to make that everyone will like..."

"I'll cook." He answered simply.

"But it's my house-I can't ask you to do that..."

Syaoran smiled, "I enjoy it."

"At least let me help..." she mumbled.

"You can help if you want." He replied, "I won't stop you."

"Good." Sakura smiled. "I look forward to it."

Syaoran laughed gently. "I think you'll get along really well with them."

"I hope so. And Hazuki will get to meet her aunts-she'll be so excited." She added. "At least I hope she will."

"You're pretty excited yourself." Syaoran joked.

She blushed. "Yeah, I guess I am."

He leant in and kissed her temple. "I'm glad." He murmured, "By the way, there's something else I kept meaning to tell you as well, but things got in the way."

She raised her brow. "What thing?"

"Your brother dropped by the house the other day." He started, and she immediately tensed. "You don't need to worry. He came by to see me."

Her eyes widened. "Oh my god-he didn't threaten or say anything rude, did he?"

"No." Syaoran replied gently. "He just wanted to get to know me a little."

She stared at him with her mouth agape. "You're joking."

"No-why would I joke about something like that?" Syaoran frowned.

She still looked stunned. "He really just came by to talk with you?"

"Yeah, he did."

Sakura was speechless.

"Sakura, I really think you should try and at least meet him halfway. You two need each other, especially with everything that's going on with your dad."

She looked unsure and sighed. "You know what happened last time I tried."

"He said that Yukito gave him a pretty long lecture about that. And he seems genuinely worried about you." He added.

Sakura hugged him closer. "I can't forgive him."

"I'm not saying you have to." Syaoran replied softly, "Just don't shut him out completely. Give him one more chance."

She looked unsure. She didn't know if she could handle it if Touya let her down again. But Syaoran certainly seemed to trust him, so maybe...

She buried her face in his chest.

"Sakura?" he murmured with concern.

She sighed heavily. "One more." She whispered, "One more, and that's final."

Syaoran squeezed her body gently. "I know this is hard for you." He said softly, "But I'll be with you every step of the way."

Sakura felt her body shudder as tears stung her eyes.

"Thank you." She sobbed.

He hugged her tightly and continued to hold her as she cried, showering her with soft caresses and his love until she finally fell asleep in his arms.

...

As Hazuki was staying with Tomoyo for the night, Syaoran and Sakura spent their Friday night alone together at Syaoran's place. They both lay on the couch beneath a warm blanket, naked, with the TV on in the background as they focused their attention on each other.

Sakura's body always amazed him. She was so perfect in his eyes and nothing could ever change that. He ran his fingers over her soft skin, letting his hands roam her body which he could not get enough of. His fingers brushed over a scar on her abdomen, lingering for a moment.

"What's this scar?" he dared to ask.

"That? When I was in labour, I had to get a C-section." Sakura replied, "It's no big deal."

"Why'd you need a caesarean?" Syaoran furrowed his brow.

"Prolonged labour." Sakura replied, "It sucked."

Syaoran cringed. He knew well what pregnancy and labour were like from all the horror stories he had heard from his sisters or witnessed himself.

"It's nothing you need to worry yourself over." Sakura added with a smile as her hands roamed his skin, her fingernails grazing over his side.

He jumped with surprise and Sakura raised her brow. A smile crept across her face and Syaoran watched her with dread.

"I didn't know you were ticklish." She giggled.

"Don't you dare."

A devilish grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. Syaoran, anticipating what she was about to do, made to grab her hands but she pulled away just in time. She giggled as they fumbled about while he laughed, finally catching her hands and entwining their fingers together before pinning her hands above her head.

"You really shouldn't start something you can't finish." He laughed.

"Or what?" she grinned.

"Or you'll be the one being tickled." He replied with amusement as he leant into her.

He kissed her gently, parting and meeting her gaze. Her emerald eyes shone with the same warmth and love he was feeling for her, and they stayed like that for a while, simply watching each other.

Gently, Syaoran cupped her cheek and kissed her again, parting only for a second before claiming her lips again. He licked her bottom lip in plea for entry which she immediately granted. He enticed her tongue to dance with his while Sakura threaded her fingers through his hair. A small moan crawled up the back of her throat as she felt the familiar tug of longing in her lower abdomen, her body aching for his to be closer than he already was. Syaoran parted in favour of trailing kisses down her neck and over her collar bone to her breasts; he cupped one of the mounds with his hand, gently massaging it and tweaking her nipple while he lavished attention on her other with his mouth, swirling his tongue around the edge of the nipple and nipping it lightly with his teeth.

"Syaoran..." she moaned his name as she arched her back to his touch which felt like ecstasy.

She reached between them and curled her fingers around his hardening member, wanting him inside her.

Syaoran smiled devilishly.

"Do you want me?" he whispered huskily against her neck, his hand venturing between her legs to find she was already wet and ready for him.

"Yes." She breathed.

"Really?"

"Yes-ah!" she moaned loudly as he pinched her clit, rolling it beneath his fingers and bringing her to a climax while he trailed kisses along her neck.

"Syaoran please," she begged him.

Hearing the need in her voice, he wondered if he should continue his teasing.

She squeezed his member almost painfully and he groaned in her ear.

"I need you." She whispered.

"Sakura-!" he breathed her name before clashing his lips to hers in a fierce and passionate kiss. He positioned himself at her entrance, and carefully pushed aside her hot walls. She moaned into their kiss and bucked her hips, begging for him to start moving.

Syaoran decided he wasn't quite done with his teasing just yet and set a slow tantalising pace as he rolled his hips against hers. Sakura elicited breathy moans and arched her neck as she lifted her hips to meet each of his thrusts.

"Syaoran..." she moaned his name over and over like a mantra.

"F-faster-" she breathed.

He obliged her and picked up the pace, her body shuddering with ecstasy beneath his.

Feeling the familiar pressure building in her abdomen, Sakura clutched Syaoran's body closer to hers. She buried her face in his neck, waiting for the pressure in her abdomen to burst, but then he slowed down.

"Stop teasing," she whined.

"But it's fun." He smiled.

Sakura knew she was going to have to give him payback one day and show him just how much sexual torture she could be when she wanted.

The building pressure in her abdomen slowly ebbed away, but then Syaoran picked up speed once again.

Her moans were louder and a thin sheen of sweat covered their bodies, and soon the pressure in her abdomen came back even more intense than before. He shifted the angle of his hips slightly and her moans quickly became cries of ecstasy, the pressure building and building until it burst and every muscle in her body seized. Her muscles clamped down on his member and warmth coated her womb as he came.

They lay there catching their breath. Syaoran lifted his hand to stroke her cheek as he nuzzled her, making her smile.

"If only we could stay like this forever." She whispered.

"We have all night." He murmured with a smile.

Sakura returned his smile. "That's true... are we planning to stay on the couch all night or are we actually going to go to bed?"

He chuckled. "Is that a hint?"

"Maybe." She replied playfully. "I find sleeping on the couch isn't good for my back."

"Let's move, then."

"Not just yet-I want to stay like this for a while." She confessed, her cheeks pink.

He just smiled. "Okay."

He reached over to turn off the TV just as his phone rang. He looked at the number and frowned when he saw it was his father calling. Sakura spotted it too and she looked at Syaoran with worry, but he declined it and then turned his phone off.

"I don't want anything to ruin our night together."

Sakura hugged him tight. She did not know what to say in such a time-she just knew that she didn't want to see him hurting.

Syaoran seemed to understand, though.

"Thank you." He smiled. "You don't need to worry, I promise."

"You sure?" she asked quietly.

"Positive." He nuzzled her cheek. "Bed?"

"You'll have to get off me first." She joked.

Syaoran laughed and gently shifted his body off of her and sat up, running his fingers through his hair.

"Uh-oh." Sakura murmured.

He furrowed his brow. "What? Is something wrong?"

Sakura snorted into a fit of laughter. "You're lucky we put this other blanket down, otherwise we might have made a mess of your couch."

Syaoran still didn't quite understand.

"You might want to wash this blanket at some point, unless you want it to stay covered in bodily fluid."

Then it clicked in his mind and he screwed up his face in disgust, making Sakura burst into a fit of laughter.

...

The girls had all agreed to meet up at their favourite patisserie to enjoy girl talk and snack on their favourite cakes and pastries.

Sakura had ordered herself a slice of strawberry chiffon cake and a latte, both things she loved but did not get to eat often.

Tomoyo was enjoying a strawberry parfait despite the winter cold, while Chiharu had a slice of cheesecake and a milkshake. Rika was enjoying a slice of chocolate tart.

"Hey Sakura," Rika started, "Have you heard anything more from Akiho?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm thinking about calling her at some point... I hope things aren't too bad. But, she did call the other day!"

The girls all hummed in agreement. "From everything she's said about her family, excluding her parents, they don't seem to be on the best terms." Chiharu murmured. "What did she say?"

"She said she would be back by the end of the month." Sakura replied, "I just want to support her the way she's supported me all these years. She's never complained about anything and was always willing to listen or jump to my aid in last minute situations."

"You and Akiho really are close," Rika smiled, "I'm sure she knows how much you care."

"Speaking of last minute-why'd you have Syaoran pick up Hazuki?" Tomoyo asked casually.

"Syaoran offered." Sakura shrugged, "He said it had been a while since just us girls could just hang out."

"He is such a sweetheart." Rika giggled, "It's almost like you're newlyweds."

Sakura's face turned pink and the girls laughed.

"You two are really adorable together. I'm so happy you've found him." Tomoyo sighed blissfully. "Eriol agreed that the two of you will be good for each other. He mentioned that the last relationship Syaoran had ended in a complete disaster."

"Syaoran hasn't mentioned any of his previous relationships to me." Sakura murmured.

"Well if it never came up in conversation, then that's not surprising. Who would want to talk about their ex who hurt them, just because?" Chiharu added.

"I guess I haven't really told him much about Shiro..." Sakura admitted, "But I don't want to pry into that part of his life. It doesn't feel like my business."

Rika sighed. "I suppose that's true."

"I'm meeting Syaoran's sisters today." Sakura switched topic.

"Oh wow! How many sisters does he have?" Chiharu asked.

"Four."

"Four sisters huh? And he's the only boy?" Rika asked.

Sakura nodded. "He said they taught him how to do their hair when they were growing up. He also learnt a lot about fashion from them too."

"I bet they dote on him a lot." Chiharu laughed.

"I always wondered if he was the one who styled Hazuki's hair so nicely." Rika mused.

"Yeah, I think it's great. Hazuki loves having new hairstyles... I feel a little bad that I don't do it myself." Sakura added as she poked at her cake. Most mothers usually did their daughters hair, but Sakura did not have experience with styling hair. The most she could do was a generic ponytail. She didn't have a mother to style her hair while growing up.

"You're not a bad mother for not being able to style her hair fancy." Tomoyo said, "Besides, Syaoran gets to bond with her over something besides art."

"Yeah! Don't be down about it. You and Hazuki bake together on weekends, right?" Chiharu added.

Sakura nodded and smiled. "We do."

"Then don't worry."

Sakura sighed heavily. "I guess I'm just worried I'm not spending enough time with her. I'm at work so much these days, and over Christmas it was hectic..."

"See, that's why you need a vacation! Have you booked your hot springs date yet?" Chiharu asked.

"Not yet, no..."

Tomoyo smiled, "If you're worried about work, don't be. I can take care of things while you're gone."

"I couldn't ask you to do that!" Sakura protested.

"You're not asking, I'm telling you I will." Tomoyo responded.

"Come on, it will be good for you." Rika nudged her with her elbow.

"I'll talk with Syaoran about it again..." Sakura sighed.

"That's what we like to hear." Chiharu winked.

They all headed their separate ways by two-thirty. Tomoyo had plans with Eriol for the day while Chiharu had mentioned she had shopping that needed to be done. Rika had no plans for her day asides from relaxing and doing whatever she felt like. Sometimes Sakura envied her for having that luxury since she was always so busy and barely had time for herself, but when she really thought about it, she didn't really mind the way her life was.

Sakura arrived home to find Syaoran and Hazuki in the kitchen; Hazuki was sitting in a seat while Syaoran was halfway through a waterfall braid.

"Mummy!" Hazuki's eyes lit up as she walked through the door.

Sakura smiled, "Hey sweetie! The girls and I were talking about how nicely your dad does your hair."

Syaoran raised his brow. "You were?"

"Yeah. I know that normally mother's do their daughters hair, but I never had that and I don't really know how to, especially with long hair..." Sakura rambled awkwardly.

"I can teach you, if you like." Syaoran offered.

Sakura looked at him with surprise. "What? I-"

"Sure. Come here." Syaoran said as he undid his work by running his fingers through Hazuki's hair.

Her cheeks turned pink as she walked over to stand next to him.

"I'm doing a waterfall braid." He said, "I'll show you how to do it and then you can try it yourself."

"Okay."

"You start at the front. Take a section of the hair and divide it into three sections." He started. "Then, you take the back section and cross it over the middle section."

Sakura watched as he demonstrated the first two steps, dividing a small section of Hazuki's hair at the front into three smaller sections and proceeded to cross the back section over the one in the middle. So far, it looked pretty simple.

"Then you take the front strand and do the same." He said as he took the front section and crossed it over the middle the same way he had done with the back section just before.

"Now, with the part that is the back section now, you need to pick up a little section of hair into it. Then with the back strand cross it over the middle." He demonstrated, looking at Sakura to see that she was paying close attention.

He smiled. "Then you leave the front strand as is. If it makes it easier, you can clip it away so you don't get confused."

She nodded.

"Then, take a small section of hair BEHIND the front section you just left alone. This becomes your new front section." He continued, "then it's just a matter of repeating the previous steps. Want to try it yourself?"

"Okay." Sakura replied nervously.

He smiled and brushed out Hazuki's hair before swapping places with Sakura.

"I'll talk you through it, don't worry."

She nodded as she tensed and he laughed. "You don't need to be so tense-it's just Hazuki's hair."

"Sorry." She blushed.

Hazuki giggled.

Sakura then proceeded to try the braid herself with Syaoran's guidance. He was patient with her, but Hazuki could only sit still for so long before wanting to get up, and she was reaching her limit.

"My bum hurts." She complained.

Sakura smiled. "Alright. I'll let daddy finish your hair for you." She said as she placed a kiss on top of Hazuki's head.

"Daddy should do mummy's hair too!" Hazuki said as Syaoran finished her hair off.

Sakura's cheeks turned red, "No it's okay, There's not much I can do with short hair anyway-"

Syaoran pointed to the seat in front of him. "Sit."

Hazuki grinned up at Sakura as she sat down.

"One of my sisters has hair about this length." Syaoran said, "So I learned a few different things."

"I'll leave it to you then..." she replied shyly.

He ran his fingers through her hair, thinking about what would suit her best, and then began working on a braid across her head, similar to the way a headband sat, and secured it with a ribbon. He then arranged the rest of her hair so that the strands fell in a slight wave.

"Mummy looks so pretty!" Hazuki said with awe.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled as she gently tucked a strand of hair behind Hazuki's ear. "And thank you, Syaoran."

He smiled. "Anytime."

"I guess we should go shopping for tonight, then." Sakura added.

"Who's coming over?" Hazuki asked.

"Tonight, we're having my sisters over." Syaoran said, "They're your aunts."

"I thought Tomoyo and the others were my aunts." Hazuki said as she furrowed her brow with confusion.

Sakura nodded. "They are. These are your aunts on your father's side of the family, though."

Hazuki just tilted her head to the side before shrugging her shoulders.

"Okay."

Sakura and Syaoran both looked at each other with amusement and a hint of relief knowing that they did not have to go into details about it all just yet.

"Right," Syaoran said, "Let's go then."

...

The shopping didn't take long, but the cooking however was a different story. Hazuki had managed to cover herself with flour and egg-Sakura was trying hard not to laugh while Syaoran had covered his eyes in exasperation. Hazuki grinned.

"Come on honey, I think you need a bath." Sakura smiled as she ushered Hazuki out of the kitchen. "We'll leave everything to Syaoran for now."

"Aw, but I want to help!" Hazuki pouted.

Syaoran just smiled. "You can help me after you've cleaned yourself up."

"Really?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yes-off you go."

Hazuki hopped down from her stool and then ran towards the bathroom with Sakura following behind.

Relieved, Syaoran started cleaning up the mess on the bench, then proceeded to finish preparation for dinner.

He jumped when he heard Sakura shout in surprise followed by Hazuki cackling; with everything cooking, he left the kitchen and made his way down to the bathroom, lifting his hand to knock on the door just as Sakura threw her top out, hitting him in the face.

"Oh-Syaoran! I didn't see you there." Sakura said, watching as he pulled the piece of clothing away.

She was standing in front of him in her underwear.

"And you're undressed why?" he asked.

"Hazuki splashed me with water." Sakura replied, "Would you mind keeping an eye on her while I put this in the wash?"

"I'll do it for you." Syaoran said as his eyes wandered over her figure.

Sakura giggled, "Thank you Syaoran." She handed him her wet clothes.

"Muuuuum!" Hazuki called out, "Can you please wash my hair?"

"Coming sweetie." Sakura replied and turned around, walking back over to Hazuki.

Syaoran left to put her clothes in the washing machine as he tried to redirect his thoughts; as much as he wanted her in that moment, they could not do anything-not while Hazuki was up and about. He returned to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water to drink while he checked his phone and emails. There were no texts or missed calls, and he decided to leave his emails for another day. After all, it was the weekend and they were having guests over.

He glanced up when Sakura walked out dressed in jeans and a pale-yellow woollen jumper. She smiled at him and walked over.

"So, you got everything done? Is there anything else we need to do?" she asked.

He shook his head, "Nah, everything just needs to cook."

The doorbell rang and he smiled. "Sounds like they're here."

Nervous yet excited, Sakura followed Syaoran to the door; he opened it revealing his four sisters.

"Hey," he greeted as he let them inside.

"Hello!" Fanren greeted cheerfully.

Once they were all inside and out of the cold, Syaoran closed the door and led them into the lounge room where Sakura was waiting.

The women all laid eyes on Sakura and their faces lit up with smiles.

"You must be the woman who stole our brothers heart!" Shiefa smiled.

"Sakura, these are my sisters Fanren, Fuutie, Feimei and Shiefa." Syaoran said, "Girls, this is my girlfriend, Sakura."

"It's so good to finally meet you, Sakura. We've heard a lot about you!" Feimei smiled kindly.

Sakura blushed, "Oh-thank you. I'm glad I can meet you too. I've been wanting to ever since Syaoran first mentioned you."

"Oh-but don't you have a daughter?" Fanren asked.

"Ah-she's a bit shy."

Sakura glanced over at the couch, and realising why, Syaoran walked around the back of the couch and spotted Hazuki crouching behind it. He smiled softly.

"They won't bite." He said, holding out his hand.

Hazuki didn't look so sure, but she reached out and took his hand and allowed Syaoran to lift her in his arms. He could tell that his sisters were barely able to contain themselves, but they were doing their best so as to not scare Hazuki or make her any more anxious.

"Hi there," Fuutie smiled gently, her expression identical to Syaoran's when he smiled the same way. "My name is Fuutie."

"Hello..." Hazuki mumbled shyly before burying her face in Syaoran's shoulder.

"She's adorable." Fanren smiled, "What's her name?"

"Hazuki." Sakura replied with a smile. "She'll warm up to you in no time."

"Hi Hazuki, it's nice to meet you." Feimei greeted kindly. "I'm Feimei."

Hazuki blushed and further hid her face, making Syaoran smile.

"Have a seat." Sakura offered, "Would you like something warm to drink?"

"That would be lovely, thank you." Fanren replied, the other girls nodding agreement.

Sakura headed off to the kitchen, leaving Syaoran with his sisters. He sat down with Hazuki on his lap and she continued to hide her face in his chest. He had never seen her so shy.

"She's just like you were at her age." Fuutie laughed.

"How old is she? Four?" Shiefa added.

Syaoran nodded. "She turned four not long before Christmas."

"We bought her a present-well...a few. We weren't sure what she liked." Feimei said, "Is that okay?"

Syaoran nodded, "I think that's fine." He said, "Hazuki, I think they have something to give you."

Hesitant, Hazuki turned her head to face the four women who looked nothing but kind. Syaoran smiled gently and watched as she reached out to Fanren, taking the first present and began to unwrap it. Given that she was still too young to unwrap things neatly, Hazuki tore the paper until she revealed a box with a new doll in it.

Hazuki looked between Syaoran and the women, unsure what to say or do.

Syaoran smiled as he remembered he used to be exactly the same.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

Hazuki nodded sheepishly. "Thank you..." She said just loud enough that the sisters could hear.

The four sisters looked at each other before smiling at Hazuki.

"We also got you these," Shiefa handed over two more wrapped gifts to Hazuki, which she took gratefully and started unwrapping.

The first was a new pop up picture book, and the second was a hefty pile of Hazuki's favourite chocolates from the chocolate shop. Sakura walked in carrying a tray with everyone's drinks on it and saw Hazuki's presents.

"Oh wow, someone's being spoiled." She smiled, "That's... quite a bit of chocolate though."

"Er...sorry, we may have gotten a little carried away. Though that particular gift was more for the three of you to share." Fanren confessed.

"It's alright-thank you very much for the gifts." Sakura replied.

"It was our pleasure."

Syaoran's phone rang, distracting him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to see that it was Sid.

"Would you please excuse me for a moment?" he asked as he gently moved Hazuki off of his lap and onto the couch beside him. The girls nodded and he left the room, leaving Sakura with Hazuki and his sisters.

"We're so glad Syaoran's happy now." Fuutie spoke as Sakura sat down. "Back home, he never looked as happy as he does now."

"It also explains why he never took any interest in other women." Shiefa added as she leant over to pick up her cup of tea.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

The four sisters looked at each other, smiling. "Our parents tried to set him up with some "respectable girls", but he was never interested. He would always say that there was someone else-at first, we thought that he was just trying to get out of dating girls our parents wanted him to be with. He's done it before, after all." Fanren explained.

"But that wasn't it at all." Fuutie smiled. "There really was someone else on his mind."

They all looked at Sakura and she blushed, making Hazuki giggle.

"Mummy's face is all red!"

"What about you, Sakura? Where do you work?" Feimei asked.

Sakura smiled. "I'm the owner of a jewellery company." She replied, "Amamiya Jewels."

"Oh wow-I've heard of your company. There are stores over in Hong Kong, too." Shiefa said, "And you own it? That's incredible."

"Thank you," Sakura blushed again, "It's not that great, though."

"My earrings are made by your company." Fanren added, "They're from last year's spring line."

"Do you design jewellery as well, Sakura?" Fuutie asked.

Sakura nodded, "I do. I learned everything I know from my great grandfather. He passed away a few years ago, though."

"So can you make jewellery too?" Feimei asked.

Sakura grimaced. "Well...I know how, but it's not a skill I ever really mastered. I'm far better at designing it."

"I guess that's what you have a company for." Fanren laughed, "You don't have to do it all by yourself."

"Exactly." Sakura smiled.

Syaoran returned and sat down, regaining the attention of everyone in the room.

"Was that your agent?" Fuutie asked curiously.

Syaoran nodded, "Yeah. I need to call him back tomorrow though."

"Anything exciting?" Sakura smiled.

"Hm... I don't want to get any hopes up just yet-the royal art gallery in England want to exhibit my work."

Everyone in the room gasped with excitement except for Hazuki, who looked back and forth between Syaoran and the other women.

"Mama, what does that mean?" she asked.

Sakura smiled at Hazuki softly. "It means his art is being recognised by a royal family."

"Oh."

"As I said, it's nothing set in stone. It's just a possibility." He said.

"This is still great news! We should celebrate and do something!" Feimei said.

"Oh-no, we really don't have to..." he said, but his sisters weren't listening.

"Where should we go?" Fanren wondered.

"Oh! I know-how bout an overnight stay at a hot spring?" Shiefa suggested, prompting Sakura to remember her gift from Tomoyo and Eriol.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Sakura smiled.

"That settles it then! How about next weekend?"

Sakura thought for a moment before nodding. "I think I can make that work."

"Great!" Fanren grinned.

Syaoran couldn't help but smile. Seeing Sakura get along with his sisters was one of the most comforting feelings he could feel, but just as the thought came, it was quickly banished and replaced by a feeling of anxiety. What would his parents think of Hazuki and Sakura?

He quickly swatted away that thought. It was not something he needed to think about-after all, he had moved to get away from them.

Hazuki warmed up to her new aunties throughout the course of the night and even showed them some of her artwork, which they were all fascinated by and told her how much she took after Syaoran.

Sakura learned that the four sisters were all medical specialists in different fields; Feimei specialised in paediatrics, while Shiefa was a neurosurgeon. Fuutie specialised in oncology and Fanren was a medical geneticist.

She was amazed by how different their fields were, but also by how passionate they were about their jobs, reminding her of her own passion for her work and of Syaoran's passion for his art.

Later, after the sisters had left and Sakura had put Hazuki to bed, she mentioned it to Syaoran over a glass of wine.

He smiled, "They were always fascinated with their fields, even as kids. Mum and dad couldn't be more proud of them."

Sakura thought she sensed a bit of resentment in his words, but not towards his sisters.

"Do you really never want to see your parents again?" Sakura asked quietly. She was not sure why she had asked-it had sort of just slipped out.

"It's not that," he murmured before drinking some of his wine, "I'm just tired of them. Being away from them... It will be good for me and them."

Sakura smiled and put her empty glass on the table. "I'm sure you'll be able to work things out with them."

"Honestly, there's a part of me that doesn't want to see them again." He confessed, "But that's not what I really want."

Sakura leant against him, "That's okay."

"Enough about my parents," He murmured, "Hazuki's finally asleep, and we're alone."

A devious smile crept across his lips as Sakura realised what he meant. With Hazuki finally in bed and asleep, Syaoran and Sakura finally got the alone time they had both been craving all evening. She shifted so that she was straddling him where he sat on the couch and they both held eye contact for a long moment, their eyes darkening with lust. He slid his hands up her thighs and around to cup her ass, squeezing gently.

Feeling impatient, Sakura peeled Syaoran's shirt off over his head and tossed it to the side, pulling him in for a long and passionate kiss. She wondered what it was about this man that drove her so crazy with desire-she had never felt this way about anyone else in the past, ever.

But Syaoran...

It was like a need.

The way her body reacted to his, and the way his reacted to hers, it was as though they were born to be together.

"Bedroom?" He murmured breathlessly as they parted.

Sakura nodded and pulled away, switching off the lights in the house and removing her top on her way to the bedroom where she took him in her arms.

* * *

**See you again next chapter :)**


	15. Change

**Hi everyone! Thanks so much for leaving reviews and comments-i appreciate them so much (TTATT)  
**

**I'm sorry it takes me so long to get chapters out sometimes :') If you have read a lot of my other stuff, you'll know that I often get distracted by other stories i'm writing (Can't help it, it's just where the inspiration strikes lmao) but i'm back to writing more for this story now, so hopefully things will roll a bit faster than they have been... maybe... if i stop playing animal crossing or Final Fantasy 14 *cough***

**I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Fujitaka looked up from his seat as Sakura, Syaoran and Hazuki all approached. They had agreed to meet up at a familiar restaurant for lunch-It was Sakura's favourite restaurant as a child and it brought back many memories from her childhood, most of them consisting of her birthdays over the years.

Hazuki sat next to him with her favourite sketch book and coloured pencils, scribbling away on her page while the three adults talked.

"Your sisters are visiting, Syaoran?" Fujitaka asked.

Syaoran smiled, "Yes-the five of us are pretty close... they were the ones who supported me the most throughout my childhood."

Fujitaka smiled, "I take it your relationship with your parents is complicated?"

"Yeah...it's not the best." He replied with a sad smile.

"We're going away with his sisters next weekend." Sakura added.

Fujitaka raised his brow, "Where to?"

"The hot springs." She replied.

"That will be good for you. You don't really let yourself go on holidays." Fujitaka smiled.

"Only because work is so busy..." she mumbled, making Fujitaka laugh.

"You and I both know you could take time off whenever you wanted." He said.

"But work..."

"Work is important, but so is your family." Syaoran added softly.

Sakura groaned, "Okay, okay..."

They laughed, stopping as the waiter approached with their meals. Sakura lowered her eyes, as she placed her phone in her handbag and closed it, feeling an awful sense of guilt in the pit of her stomach. It felt like she had just been subtly told she had not spent enough time with her daughter, despite how much she desperately tried to.

"Hazuki, help pack up your things so you can eat." Syaoran murmured.

"Okay!" She chirped and started putting her pencils back into her pencil case, zipped it up and then closed her sketch book.

"Sakura, have you decided what you would like to do on your birthday yet?" Fujitaka suddenly asked.

The question caught Sakura off guard. "What...? No, I haven't."

He continued smiling, "Why don't you go somewhere with Syaoran, then?"

Syaoran looked at Sakura with confusion, "Your birthday is coming up?"

"It's still a month away!" She said.

"I know," Fujitaka smiled.

"Going away together sounds nice." Syaoran smiled, "if you want to, of course."

"But Hazuki will have kindergarten..." Sakura said, "And I can't ask the others to look after her for a few days..."

"I'd like to take her, if that's okay." Fujitaka smiled, "It's been a long time since we spent time together."

Sakura glanced at Syaoran and then back to her father. "Well... okay." She mumbled uncomfortably.

Fujitaka smiled, "Why don't you think it over?"

Sakura nodded with a smile, "I will."

"Also...I was wondering if I could take her the weekend after next?" Fujitaka added.

"Sure-how does that sound Hazuki? Would you like to spend a night with grandpa?" Sakura asked Hazuki, who nodded.

"Yeah!"

"That's great!" Sakura grinned.

"Thank you, sweetheart." Fujitaka smiled.

"It's fine, dad. I'm happy you'll get to spend time together." She replied, "oh-Hazuki, careful with your food. You'll get it all over yourself."

Sakura reached over with a napkin and wiped away the chocolate sauce Hazuki had managed to cover herself with.

"How are things with Touya?" Fujitaka suddenly asked.

Sakura smiled stiffly. "The same as always."

"I know I don't usually meddle in things between the two of you, but I do wish the two of you would get along better." He said.

Syaoran looked at Sakura, who was avoiding complete eye contact with her father.

"We'll see." She murmured.

Fujitaka just smiled sadly, knowing it would be useless to push the matter in that moment, so he focused on eating his meal instead.

On their way home from lunch, they stopped to do the grocery shopping-Sakura cursed not having done it the day before when they had gone to the shops. She tried to remember what they needed, but she was not entirely sure these days. Everything had all been so mixed together or a complete blur.

"Honey, stay close to me." Sakura murmured as she took Hazuki's hand before she could run off.

"Do you girls like apple pie?" Syaoran asked casually as they made their way through the fresh produce.

"Yes-I haven't had one in years though!" Sakura sighed, "Hazuki hasn't had it before, have you?"

Hazuki shook her head and Sakura smiled.

"Why don't I make you one?" Syaoran suggested.

"Are you sure it's not too much trouble?" Sakura asked.

"I want to. It's no trouble at all." He replied.

She smiled, "Okay then-we'll look forward to it. Right, Hazuki?"

"Yup!"

Syaoran returned her smile. "That settles it."

They continued with their shopping, slowly making their way through, grabbing what they needed. Out of habit, Syaoran moved to grab a block of chocolate but Sakura swatted his hand away, surprising him.

"What?"

She gave him a look of disapproval, "Really? You've already forgotten?" She sighed.

He furrowed his brow in confusion but then suddenly remembered the pile of chocolate his sisters had given them.

"Oh. Right."

Hazuki giggled. "Papa got in twobble."

Sakura laughed and Syaoran sighed, moving on to the next aisle.

"Oh crap-I almost forgot!" Sakura exclaimed.

"What?" he asked.

"I need to grab some strawberries-Hazuki, come with me." Sakura murmured, taking her hand.

"I'll wait here for you." Syaoran said.

"Thanks," she said as she turned to walk back to the fresh food section of the store.

The strawberries were supposed to be her contribution to a celebration they were having at the office, so she was glad she remembered in time to save herself the embarrassment of having forgotten.

"Mama, can I get a lollipop?" Hazuki asked.

"Sorry honey, not today." Sakura replied, "You have sweets at home."

"Okay." She mumbled, knowing better than to argue.

Sakura picked up a couple of punnets, then made her way back to where Syaoran was waiting. She stopped, though, when she saw a pair of girls a year or two younger than her talking to him.

"Do you always keep a pencil behind your ear?" one of the girls asked.

"It's a bit of a habit." He confessed. "I'm an artist."

"Oh, my goodness! That's amazing-what do you paint?" the other girl asked.

"That depends. Anything, really." Syaoran replied with a shrug. He sounded a little bored.

"Wait! You're the artist who had an exhibit recently, right? I went so I could study your work-I'm currently in my second year of fine arts." The first girl spoke.

Syaoran smiled, "Yeah. If you'd like some tips, feel free to come by my studio."

Sakura, who was staring at whatever product was in front of her, could feel her chest tighten uncomfortably. Couldn't he tell they were flirting...?

She shook her head. No. She couldn't think that-he was just trying to encourage another art student, that was all. She heard gasps of surprise and looked over to see Hazuki was over with Syaoran.

"Daddy, mama doesn't look so good." Hazuki said, pointing over at Sakura.

Syaoran lifted his eyes to meet Sakura's, his gaze worried.

She hurried over and put the strawberries in the trolley.

"Oh, is this your niece?" the girl asked.

"No, she's my daughter." Syaoran replied.

"Aw, she's so cute... Um...if you don't mind, I'd like to take you up on your offer. My professor keeps telling me that I'm missing something in my artwork, but I have no idea what he means." She said.

Syaoran pulled out his wallet and opened it, removed a card and then handed it over.

"You can email me, and I'll get back to you." He smiled politely.

She took the card, "Thank you so much. See you later, then!"

The two girls left and Syaoran immediately turned to Sakura. "Are you okay?"

Sakura smiled, "Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't mean to make the two of you worry."

"But your face was all scrunched up, like your tummy hurt!" Hazuki protested.

Sakura laughed gently, "I promise I'm not feeling sick."

Syaoran could tell easily that there was something bothering her, but she didn't want to talk about it with Hazuki there.

"Shall we finish up?" he asked.

"Yes-I'm eager to sit on the couch and eat chips all afternoon." Sakura replied jokingly.

"Well, let's get moving then."

They finished up their shopping then headed home, where they put the shopping away and Sakura put Hazuki to bed for a nap.

Syaoran stood in the kitchen with a cup of tea waiting for her, which she gratefully accepted.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked gently, still worried for her wellbeing.

Sakura nodded. "It's just me being a bit childish. I'll be fine-you don't need to worry."

"Talk to me." He pleaded.

Sakura hesitated, then sighed. "I guess I was just a little...well, jealous."

He raised his brow in surprise.

"I'm sorry-it's silly of me. I really do trust you-I don't know why I even felt that way." She added, "I told you it was childish."

Syaoran snorted in amusement and she frowned.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing-it's just that I honestly couldn't imagine you getting jealous, so... it's new to me."

"So, you're laughing?" she muttered.

He smiled, though guiltily. "I'm sorry."

She rolled her eyes good naturedly, "Sure."

"Is there something else? You seemed a bit upset at lunch, and I don't think its because you were jealous." Syaoran added with a bit more concern.

She looked up at him and smiled brightly. "It's really nothing-lately everything has just been exhausting, is all." She lied.

Syaoran stared her in the eyes, trying to read her. For a moment, she was sure that he saw straight through her lie and was about to call her out on it, but to her relief, he didn't. Instead, he pulled her in close by the hips, resting his forehead against hers as he held eye contact with her. He ran his thumb along the waistline of her pants, causing a familiar heat to stir in her abdomen.

"Hazuki's asleep..." he murmured.

Sakura giggled, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait-I have a lot of housework to do."

She kissed him before he could protest, then hugged him.

"Thank you."

He wrapped his arms around her frame gently. "I love you."

...

"Good morning!" Sakura greeted Tomoyo as she walked into the office bright and early.

"Morning to you too. You're cheerful this morning." Tomoyo smiled in return.

"Yeah-I met Syaoran's sisters on the weekend." Sakura said, "Hazuki warmed up to them quickly."

"That's great to hear!" Tomoyo replied, "Tell me all about it during break, okay?"

"I will. Did you forward those emails to the respective departments?" Sakura then asked.

"Way ahead of you." Tomoyo laughed.

"Thanks, Tomoyo!"

"Oh-by the way!" Tomoyo called out before Sakura could close her office door, "You remember that conference?"

Sakura frowned. "Yeah...oh, don't tell me they moved it!"

Tomoyo smiled sympathetically. "Sorry honey."

Sakura groaned. "When is it?"

"From the 30th of March through to the third of April."

Sakura's heart sank and it showed on her face.

"What's wrong?" Tomoyo asked, "I know it's over your birthday, but I'm sure your family would understand."

"No, well... It wasn't set in stone, but Syaoran and I might have been going away for my birthday... I guess that idea is out the window." Sakura sighed.

"I'm sorry." Tomoyo apologised sincerely.

"It's not your fault-I'll talk with Syaoran about it and we'll figure something out." Sakura smiled, though it was strained. "Now...what needs doing...?"

She turned her focus to work and figured out what needed doing first, starting her day by replying to emails.

"By the way," Tomoyo added, "The farewell party for Isuzu is after lunch."

"Yeah-I brought the strawberries like I said I would. Think we can cut them up during lunch and add them to the fruit salad?" Sakura answered as she scrolled through her inbox.

"Sounds good," Tomoyo replied with a smile.

It took a little over an hour and a half to get through all of her emails and reply to them, and when she was finally done, it was time to review the feedback she had gotten from clients, then work on making the necessary adjustments or send off the designs so that prototypes or final products could be produced.

Tomoyo popped in with an amused smile on her face. "Did you forget about lunch?"

Sakura looked up at the clock with surprise. "It's already one o'clock?"

"Sure is," Tomoyo laughed, "Come on, I'm starving and I want to hear about your weekend with Syaoran's sisters!"

"Okay, I hear you." Sakura giggled and stood up. She grabbed her phone, looking at the date and nibbled her lip.

"What's up?" Tomoyo asked, noticing her expression.

"Nothing-let's get going! I have a massive craving for sushi." Sakura replied as she picked up her handbag and walked over to Tomoyo, linking her arm with hers.

"Sushi, huh?" Tomoyo smirked.

Sakura furrowed her brow. "What's that look for?"

"You often try to cover up something by mentioning you have a craving for something." Tomoyo said, "You suck at lying."

Sakura groaned. "Okay, okay... it's just... well... it's Valentine's Day and I kind of wanted to do something with Syaoran, but we were so busy it completely slipped my mind and we never got to talk about it..."

Tomoyo stared at her with a displeased look, knowing that wasn't at all what she was thinking about. Sakura realised she was just digging her own grave.

"You're right," she sighed, "Normally I wouldn't even do anything for valentines either."

Tomoyo looked concerned. "Did something happen?" she asked as they walked.

"Yesterday, when we had lunch with dad… he made a comment about how I've never taken time off for holidays, even with Hazuki. It was when he suggested I go somewhere with Syaoran for my birthday." Sakura started to explain, "I admitted it was because I had a lot of important work to do, and Syaoran said that family was important too… I know, that-of course I know that! I love Hazuki more than anything else in the world-how can he not know that?"

Tomoyo held her hand and squeezed gently. "I'm sure he didn't mean to upset you like that. Have you talked to him?"

Sakura sighed, "No… I'm just being petty. It doesn't matter."

She didn't give Tomoyo a chance to respond as she hurried towards the bakery across the road near their building, that was selling freshly made pies and other savoury pastries, so Sakura chose to get something from there, along with a cup of coffee. Tomoyo decided on a croissant, then they found somewhere to sit.

"I thought you wanted sushi?" Tomoyo joked, poking fun at Sakura.

Sakura rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Ha, ha."

Tomoyo giggled, "So, what did you guys get up to with Syaoran's sisters?"

"They came over for dinner." Sakura replied, "As usual, Hazuki was shy at first."

"But she gradually opened up, right?" Tomoyo said.

She nodded, "Yep. I have a feeling it has something to do with the gifts they bought her though." Sakura laughed.

Tomoyo laughed with her, "Naturally. What did they give her?"

"She got a doll, a new book, a new toy and the sisters gave us chocolate to share as well." Sakura replied.

"That was so thoughtful of them." Tomoyo said with a sweet smile.

Sakura nodded agreement. "Yeah, I wish I'd gotten something for them."

"They're still in Japan, aren't they?" Tomoyo furrowed her brow.

"Yeah. We're planning on going to the hot springs this coming weekend." Sakura replied.

"Well, if you still want to get them something, you still can." Tomoyo reasoned.

"That's true-I'll have a think about what to get them." Sakura smiled, "I'm really happy I got to meet them. They're all really kind girls, and I can tell that they really love Syaoran as much as he loves them."

"I remember Eriol saying that they were the ones who supported him all the way through his university years." Tomoyo added.

"Yeah-Initially, Syaoran started medicine to appease his parents, but switched courses as soon as he could." Sakura laughed.

Tomoyo laughed as well. "I imagine his parents were furious."

"I'm guessing so. Syaoran didn't mention much about them." Sakura shrugged.

Tomoyo sighed, "I guess that's not surprising, given the relationship."

"Yeah." Sakura sighed, "I think it really bothers him, even though he doesn't say much."

"I think you're right." Tomoyo said, "I wish his parents would be more understanding."

"Me too."

Tomoyo's phone rang, and after checking to see who it was, she answered. There was a brief exchange before Tomoyo hung up, and she looked at her friend apologetically.

"I'm sorry Sakura, I need to get back to the office for something."

"That's fine-I just want to grab something from a nearby shop then I'll head back to the office myself." Sakura smiled.

"I'll cut the strawberries for you," Tomoyo said, "And it's no trouble." She added after seeing Sakura's expression.

"Thanks, Tomoyo." Sakura replied gratefully.

Tomoyo smiled again, "No problem-see you soon!"

Tomoyo left, leaving Sakura on her own. She ate what was left of her meal and then headed for the shop she wanted to go to. She grabbed what she wanted then walked out, stopping to pull out her phone. She pulled up Syaoran's contact details, her thumb hovering over the green call button underneath Syaoran's name. In her other hand she held a small paper bag with chocolates from the chocolatier for him.

She was not sure if he was busy and she didn't want to disturb him if he was working, but she wanted to hear his voice despite the feeling of hurt she felt. She took a deep breath and pressed dial. Her heart rate picked up when she heard him answer.

"Hey," he greeted, "Everything ok?"

She smiled, "Hi; everything is fine-I'm on break at the moment."

Syaoran laughed. "You probably need it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she mumbled.

"That you're a workaholic." He replied playfully.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Okay, yeah, maybe I am." She said, "What are you up to?"

"I'm currently going through my list of commissions. I have quite a few that have piled up..." he answered. "Would you and Hazuki model for me for one?"

"I'd love to-it might be difficult getting Hazuki to sit still though." She giggled. "What is it a picture of?"

"The one I'm currently looking at has requested a fantasy piece of a mother and daughter. I'm jotting down ideas." He answered.

She smiled gently as she imagined him sitting at the table with his laptop and a pen and paper.

"Anyway, was there something you needed? You usually don't call during the day..." he murmured, his voice laced with concern.

"Oh-no, I just wanted to hear your voice." She confessed.

"Ah..."

"Um... It's valentines today... I don't usually celebrate the holiday, but I was wondering if there was anything, you'd like me to pick up on the way home...?" she rambled awkwardly.

"I forgot today was Valentines..." he murmured, "There's nothing I can think of."

"Okay," She smiled again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I have to go," she sighed sadly, "But I'll be home by six."

"Okay, stay safe."

"I will." She smiled, and then ended the call.

Feeling a lot happier, she made her way back to work with a bounce in her step; as soon as she walked through the doors on her floor, Tomoyo looked up with a big smile on her face.

"It looks like someone's in a good mood."

Sakura smiled, "Yeah, I am."

"Let me guess-it has something to do with Syaoran?" Tomoyo said with a sly smile.

"Maybe," Sakura grinned.

"Well, I'm glad to see you in such a good mood. Oh-are those for Syaoran?" Tomoyo asked when she saw the bag.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah-he loves chocolate, just like Hazuki."

Tomoyo laughed, "She really does take after him."

"She sure does." Sakura giggled, "Anyway, I better get this thing done before the party."

"Ok-I put that form you asked for on your desk." Tomoyo said.

"Thanks!" Sakura replied as she hurried into her office.

She spent most of the day running back and forth around the office as she tried to get her work done-there were designs to be finalised, reports that needed checking and emails to respond to among other things. The farewell party was lively, with everyone wishing Isuzu well in her future journey at her new job overseas.

She was grateful when the end of the day came, and she could finally head home. Tomoyo stuck her head in the door as Sakura was gathering her things.

"I'm heading home now-I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Sakura smiled at her best friend. "Be careful on the way home."

Tomoyo returned her smile, "You as well."

Tomoyo then left, leaving Sakura to close up the office, and then she headed down to her car.

…

"Mummy!" Hazuki grinned up at Sakura as she hugged her legs. She had barely walked through the door, but Sakura was used to such greetings from Hazuki.

"Hi honey," Sakura smiled, "How was your day?"

"It was good! We made pancakes today!" the little girl beamed.

"Really? That sounds like fun." She said, "Who did you do that with?"

"Mrs Suzumi." Hazuki replied.

"You lucky girl." Sakura smiled.

Hazuki grinned again before bouncing back off to the table where she had been busy drawing again.

Sakura placed her bag on the table by the door along with her keys and sighed softly as she walked into the kitchen

"Where's Syaoran?" She asked.

"Daddy's in the shower." Hazuki replied, "He was covered in paint!"

Sakura laughed, "Oh dear."

She walked over to the fridge and looked inside to see what was inside as she pondered what to make for dinner.

"What do you feel like for dinner, honey?" Sakura asked Hazuki.

"Umm... chicken."

Sakura opened the freezer to see if they had any but found that she needed to pick up more meat.

"It looks like we don't have any... sorry sweetheart." She apologised to her daughter.

"Aww!" Hazuki sighed with disappointment.

"How about omelettes?" Sakura suggested instead.

"But I want chicken!" Hazuki complained.

"You can have chicken tomorrow night." Sakura replied, "Okay?"

Hazuki just grunted.

Sakura sighed softly as she pulled what she needed out of the fridge, and just as she closed the fridge door, Syaoran walked in with a towel around his neck and dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

"Hey," he smiled, "How was your day?"

"Ultimately uneventful." She laughed, "Hazuki told me you got covered in paint?"

He grimaced. "Yeah... I had a pot of paint fall on me back at my place."

Sakura giggled. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, I'm fine. My foot is bruised though." He shrugged and glanced over at Hazuki, who was sulking. "What's wrong Huz?"

"She's sulking because we have no chicken." Sakura replied as he walked over.

"Ah. Do you want help making dinner?"

"No, I'm alright." Sakura smiled as she pulled out a frying pan and a bowl, "I haven't cooked in a while, since you're sweet enough to cook dinner for us."

"It's okay-I enjoy cooking, so it's no trouble." Syaoran replied. "If I had realised that we needed meat, I would have picked some up for tonight."

"Mama, can I have a chocolate?" Hazuki asked.

"I'm making dinner-you can have one afterwards." Sakura answered as she whisked the eggs.

"Okay." She mumbled.

"Besides getting covered in paint, what did you get up to today?" Sakura asked as she moved around.

"Not much really. I grabbed some clean clothes and a few other things I needed while I was at my place." Syaoran replied.

"Did you get through your emails?" She asked.

"Ah. Yeah, some of them. Not all though."

"I hate replying to emails some days..." Sakura mumbled. "Especially when it's the same question being asked for the fifth time by the same person."

Syaoran raised his brow. "Oh?"

"One of the project managers keeps asking me about whether or not I've signed the forms giving permission for them to begin. I've told them multiple times that yes, I have." Sakura muttered, "Makes me want to scream."

"Wow. It makes you wonder if they even read their emails." Syaoran snorted.

"I know," she sighed. "Um-next week I have a dinner party for work I need to go to. It's on Thursday."

"I wanna go too!" Hazuki complained.

"I'm sorry honey, but this is for grownups... How about I take you out to an amusement park next weekend instead?" Sakura suggested, praying that Hazuki would take the bait.

Thankfully, she did. "You really mean it?" Hazuki asked, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Isn't that the weekend that Fujitaka wants to take Hazuki?" Syaoran asked.

"Oh-you're right! I completely forgot!"

"But I wanna go to the amusement park!" Hazuki whined. "We never get to go fun places together, mummy! It's always with someone else!"

Sakura sighed heavily, feeling her patience disappear. She really did feel like the worst mother in the world, now.

Thankfully, Syaoran stepped in. "Hey, we're going away together, remember? Sometimes we can't always do everything we want."

"Ok, dinner is ready for one..." Sakura murmured as she fished out the first omelette onto the plate, then began making the next one.

"Clean up your things and go wash your hands for dinner." Syaoran told Hazuki.

Hazuki slid off her seat and began putting her things away the way she had been taught, then headed off to the bathroom.

Sakura's phone rang as she cooked.

"Would you mind answering that for me?" She asked.

Syaoran stood and picked up the telephone, answering the call.

"Hello, this is Sakura's residence." He answered.

"Oh! Erm, this is Akiho Shinomoto-is Sakura home by any chance?" The woman asked.

"One moment," he replied, and then looked over at Sakura.

"It's Akiho," he said, "I can take over while you talk to her if you like?"

"Oh! Yes, thank you." She smiled as she took the phone from him, and they swapped spots.

"Hi Akiho-how are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm sorry for calling you at such an awkward hour." Akiho apologised, "I'm really sorry, but I can't come back yet..."

Sakura's chest tightened with worry. "You don't have to apologise for anything, Akiho. Is everything okay?"

"Actually... Father passed away last night." Akiho replied solemnly. "Mother just woke up from her coma as well."

Sakura gasped. "Oh Akiho, I'm so sorry..." she whispered, "Is there anything you need?"

"You're such a good friend, Sakura." Akiho replied, "I can't really think of anything right now, but I'll let you know if I think of something."

"Okay," Sakura replied, "Yuna is with you, right?"

"Yes, he's been kind enough to stay with me the whole time." Akiho replied softly.

"That's good." Sakura smiled, feeling a small amount of relief knowing Akiho wasn't completely alone.

"I'm afraid I won't be back in Japan for a while... I'm so sorry." Akiho apologised.

"Please don't apologise, you've done nothing wrong." Sakura replied gently, "I hope your mother will be alright... Make sure to take care of yourself, okay?"

"Thank you, Sakura," Akiho said, "I really appreciate it."

"You're my friend. I'll always be here if you need me." She smiled, "By the way... how are things with your family?"

Akiho sighed heavily. "Not good. They're all angry that my parents refused to include them in their legal documents, including their wills. I'm the only one who can sign anything on my parent's behalf, and since they all despise me..."

"Oh Akiho..." Sakura whispered.

"I'm used to it, and Yuna is here with me, so I'll be okay. How is Hazuki?" Akiho added with a lighter tone.

"She's doing well," Sakura replied, "Would you like to talk to her?"

"I'm sorry-I can't. The doctor has just arrived..." Akiho answered sadly.

"It's ok-maybe next time. Take care, Akiho."

Sakura ended the call just as Syaoran finished the last omelette and slid it onto the plate. Hazuki came running out and pulled herself up onto the chair to start eating.

"That didn't sound good." Syaoran murmured with concern.

Sakura smiled sadly, "Her father passed away last night, and her mother just woke up from her coma, so she won't be coming back for a while."

"I see. I hope she'll be okay." Syaoran murmured. "That must be really rough for her."

"I hope so too."

"Mama, if you and papa died, what would happen to me?" Hazuki asked.

Both Syaoran and Sakura froze in shock. They had not expected such a question from Hazuki, but Sakura guessed it was natural since they had just been talking about Akiho and her parents.

"If for some reason we do, you will likely be taken in by Touya and Yukito, or by someone from Syaoran's family." Sakura explained, "But you don't need to worry. We won't be going anywhere."

"Okay." Hazuki shrugged and continued to eat her dinner.

Syaoran and Sakura both relaxed, thankful that she didn't have any more questions about that topic and ate dinner.

After cleaning the dishes, drying them and then giving Hazuki a bath, Sakura read her a story before tucking her in and kissing her goodnight.

Syaoran was sitting in the lounge room sketching something in his sketch book when she returned holding the bag with the chocolate she had bought him inside.

He looked up and smiled, "What's up?"

Sakura sat down beside him and looked at the sketch of a couple of birds.

"Is this for one of your commissions?" she asked.

"This? No, I'm just sketching out some ideas." He replied.

She smiled and lifted the small paper bag. "I know we didn't plan anything, but I bought you something for valentines..." she confessed as she handed it to him.

Syaoran closed his sketch book and put it on the coffee table, then took the small paper bag from Sakura and looked inside. He pulled out a box of expensive chocolates and smiled.

"Thank you." He said as he leant in to kiss her cheek.

Sakura blushed. "I just want you to know how much I appreciate you and everything you do for us... it really means a lot to me."

Syaoran places the chocolates on the table before pulling Sakura with him to lie down on the couch. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart.

"I can't believe it's only been two months..." Syaoran murmured, "It feels like it's been so much longer, but at the same time, it doesn't."

"I agree. Things have been crazy, huh?" Sakura replied.

"Yeah, but I don't mind. After all, I've been able to spend so much time with you and Hazuki."

"I'm looking forward to doing more together," Sakura added, "I hope we get to do a lot more things as a family."

Syaoran smiled warmly. "Yeah, I'd really like that."

...

Syaoran woke to a pair of big, amber eyes staring right back at him. His mind still bleary with sleep, he lay there confused.

"Daddy-can we make cookies?"

Oh.

"After breakfast." He mumbled his reply. "Has Sakura left already...?"

He glanced over at the clock, finding it was eight o'clock. He'd slept through her alarm completely, which was unlike him. He guessed it was just because he'd had an exhausting weekend.

"Have you eaten?" he then asked.

Hazuki shook her head.

"I'll be out shortly." Syaoran said. Hazuki nodded and bounced out of the room.

He sat up as he yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, then stood and headed straight for the shower. When he finished and was dressed, he then headed straight out to the kitchen where Hazuki was sitting at the table, scribbling away happily with her favourite pencils.

"What are you drawing?" he asked as he began making breakfast.

"A monster!" Hazuki replied.

"Oh? What kind?"

"He eats bananas." She answered, "And his best friend is a duck."

Syaoran raised his brow as he smiled in amusement. "What does this monster do?"

"He dances!" she chirped.

Syaoran tried hard not to burst out laughing. Kids imaginations could be pretty bizarre, but sometimes that made for the best art.

He placed a plate of toast in front of her, moving her tools to the side, then sat down with his own breakfast.

"Daddy?" Hazuki said.

"Yes?"

"What are we doing today?" she asked, "Can we go to the indoor park?"

Syaoran smiled apologetically. "Sorry Huz-I have to work today."

She looked down sadly as she ate her toast. Syaoran knew she would perk back up soon, but he still felt a little bad.

_'Don't spoil her.'_ He reminded himself.

"Do you like paint?" he asked.

She immediately looked up, interested. "Yeah!"

He smiled, "You can use some of mine back at my place."

Hazuki's face lit up. "Really?"

"Sure. And you can make as much of a mess as you want." He added.

"Yay!"

_'Hopefully Sakura won't kill me.'_ He thought to himself.

...

Tomoyo smiled as she listened to Sakura tell her about a lot of the things Syaoran and Hazuki had been doing together. It had been a long time since she had seen Sakura so happy in a relationship, and she was even happier with being able to have Syaoran as part of the family.

"So, the weekend your father is taking Hazuki-you'll both be free then?" she asked.

Sakura blinked, "Yeah, I guess so..."

"Let's go out to a club for drinks, then! It's been so long since we've all been out. It will be nice." Tomoyo suggested.

Sakura smiled, "I'll ask Syaoran, then."

"Great!"

"By the way Tomoyo-have you gotten around to talking to Eriol? I'm sorry I haven't been around to talk much, lately." Sakura apologised, feeling like she had been neglecting her friends.

Tomoyo just smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Sakura. We see each other every day here at work, and I know things have been really hectic for you lately." She spoke. "As for talking to Eriol... I find I keep making excuses not to talk to him about children-maybe that means now isn't the time..."

Sakura reached across the table and took her best friends' hand, smiling gently. "Maybe, maybe not. It's a really big topic, so I can understand why you might be a bit anxious talking with him about it."

Tomoyo instantly relaxed. "Thank you, Sakura."

"Whatever decision you make-just remember that it was the right decision for you." Sakura added. Her pager buzzed in her pocket and she groaned after reading the message. "Sorry...I really need to go."

Tomoyo stood with her, "Let's head back together, then."

Sakura nodded agreement, smiling at her friend, and together they headed back to the office.

After working so hard all day, Sakura was looking forward to going home. She wondered what Syaoran had done for the day and how Hazuki was doing. Pulling out her phone with a smile, she sent a quick text to let Syaoran know she was on her way, then grabbed her bag.

Tomoyo looked over from where she was standing with her own bag, gathering her things. "You're heading home too?"

Sakura nodded.

"You know Sakura-you haven't been staying back as long ever since you started dating Syaoran." Tomoyo pointed out.

Sakura blushed. "With Akiho in England and Syaoran being the one to look after her, I just want to get home to both of them as soon as I can." She said, "I've always tried to get home to Hazuki as soon as I could, though..."

"I'm so sorry-I didn't mean to imply that you weren't trying hard to get home to Hazuki before. I just meant that you seem to be working much harder these days."

Sakura relaxed a little. "Sorry for taking it the wrong way," she replied, "I guess I am working much harder than normal, huh?"

"I mean, you worked hard before, but you're also more relaxed about some things. It's not a bad thing, relaxing a little." Tomoyo smiled, "Just be careful not to overwork yourself, or else you'll get sick."

Sakura returned her best friends smile, "Thanks Tomoyo. I'll see you tomorrow."

Tomoyo nodded, "Yeah-Take care on the way home."

"You too-Bye Tomoyo!" Sakura replied cheerfully as they parted ways to head to their cars.

As usual, Hazuki greeted her by hugging her legs with a big grin on her face when she got home.

"Hey sweetie-did you have a good day?" She asked.

"Daddy and I made cookies!" She chirped.

Sakura smiled, "what kind?"

"Chocolate chip!"

"Of course-Why did I even ask?" Sakura muttered to herself.

Hazuki turned and ran back into the kitchen, while Sakura hanged up her coat and moved to put her bag in her room. When she walked out into the kitchen, Syaoran had already made her a cup of hot tea and dinner was cooking.

He looked up from his phone, locked it and then placed it to the side.

"Whatcha reading?" Sakura asked with a smile.

"I was having a slightly more thorough read of the information Sid sent me about the Royal Art Gallery." He replied.

She raised her brow, "Slightly more?"

Syaoran shrugged, "I've been a bit preoccupied."

Sakura laughed, "Okay."

"Mama, guess what I got to do today!" Hazuki chirped.

"Oh? What did you get to do?" Sakura asked.

"I got to paint with daddy!"

Sakura gasped, "What did you paint today?" she asked.

Hazuki and Syaoran looked at each other with a smile and then back to Sakura.

"That's a secret."

Sakura groaned. "You're going to keep it from me again?"

"Only until it's finished." Syaoran replied as he gathered three plates and put them on the bench. "Hazuki, clear your things from the table to make room for dinner."

"Okay!" Hazuki replied cheerfully and immediately began to clean up her things.

Sakura moved to help Syaoran, but he stopped her.

"Sit down. I can do this." He said softly.

"Are you sure?" She asked hesitantly.

"Of course I am. Now, sit."

Smiling, she kissed him on the cheek and then walked back to the table to sit down in her chair.

* * *

**What did you think? Did you pick up on anything that needed fixing or didn't make sense? if so, please let me know :)**


End file.
